Legal Notice Against Compound Wall Construction In Mangrove Buffer Zone Of Ulwe's Balaji Temple Project
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Legal Notice Against Compound Wall Construction In Mangrove Buffer Zone Of Ulwe's Balaji Temple Project | AI
Navi Mumbai: Environmental activists have served a legal notice objecting to a proposal to construct a compound wall and chain-link fencing within the protected 50mt mangrove buffer zone around the under-construction Balaji Temple in Ulwe.
Notice Details & Allegations
The notice was issued by environmentalist B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, through advocate Ronita Bhattacharya to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), the Mangrove Cell and senior forest officials. It alleges that the proposed work violates environmental safeguards, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and commitments recorded before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
According to the notice, TTD has sought a no objection certificate from the Mangrove Cell to erect a chain-link fence and compound wall inside the buffer zone, claiming it is needed to protect the temple premises and nearby mangroves from encroachment and human interference.
Contradiction to NGT Assurance
Kumar has contended that any construction within the legally protected buffer zone is impermissible. The notice says the proposal contradicts assurances given by TTD during proceedings in Appeal No. 13 of 2024 before the NGT, where the trust had undertaken that no construction or landscaping would be carried out within the mangrove buffer area.
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“The purpose of the mangrove buffer zone is to preserve and protect an ecologically sensitive area surrounding mangrove ecosystems,” the notice states, warning that construction could fragment habitats, disrupt natural ecological processes and set a precedent for future development inside protected zones.
Kumar has cautioned that environmental groups will pursue fresh legal action if permission is granted or work begins. The Mangrove Cell has reportedly informed NatConnect Foundation that a decision on TTD’s application will be taken after a site inspection.
The dispute stems from the Balaji Temple project on a 40,000 sq mt CIDCO-allotted plot in Ulwe. Kumar had earlier challenged the project before the NGT, alleging CRZ violations. While the tribunal dismissed the appeal in July 2025, it recorded TTD’s undertaking that activities within the buffer zone would not be undertaken without approvals.
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