In a significant intervention to protect the fragile ecology and overstretched civic systems of Lonavala and Khandala, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government and the Lonavala Municipal Council to take immediate and concrete steps to overhaul the region’s civic infrastructure and crack down on unauthorised constructions.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne expressed concern over the deteriorating conditions in the twin hill stations, which are popular weekend retreats for residents of Mumbai and Pune but are grappling with unchecked urbanisation and environmental degradation.
The court’s directive came in response to a series of public interest litigations filed by the Lonavala-Khandala Citizens’ Forum, a body representing local residents. The forum highlighted rampant unauthorised construction, inadequate solid waste management, poor drainage systems, and crumbling road infrastructure, all of which have been exacerbated by the influx of tourists and high-end farmhouse developments in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
“The state government and the municipal council must ensure that the Development Control Regulations of the area are updated,” the bench observed, adding that new constructions must align with available infrastructure and environmental constraints.
The court also noted that the three-member expert committee, constituted in 2014 to regulate development in the region, cannot be a permanent solution. It directed the Lonavala Municipal Council to formulate a new, comprehensive development plan and affirmed that the existing committee will continue its functions until the new plan is implemented.
Highlighting the ecological significance of the region, the bench remarked, “If the ecology of the region is not protected, the whole charm of the region would be lost.” The court stressed the urgency of implementing effective conservation and infrastructure management measures to preserve the natural beauty and livability of the hill towns.
