CM Devendra Fadnavis Orders Boundary Demarcation and Rehabilitation of Encroachers in Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Mumbai, March 2026 : Devendra Fadnavis has directed authorities to demarcate the boundaries of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and prepare a plan for the rehabilitation of people living in encroached areas within the park.

Chairing a review meeting at the state legislature complex, the Chief Minister instructed concerned departments to find a permanent solution to the issue of encroachments in the park located at Borivali. He asked officials to verify nearby available land and prepare a rehabilitation plan within a fixed timeframe.

Fadnavis said the park’s boundaries should be clearly demarcated and residents living along the boundaries should be rehabilitated on priority. Until the rehabilitation process is completed, basic civic amenities should be provided to the affected families from a humanitarian perspective.

He also directed officials to identify suitable land on the Mulund and Thane sides for relocating encroachers living in those areas.

The meeting was attended by Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, Public Works Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale, and several legislators.

The Chief Minister directed the Housing Department to evaluate available land options and submit a detailed rehabilitation plan within one month, prioritising options that can be implemented quickly and efficiently.

Following the demarcation of the park boundary, around 5,000 residents living in the core and boundary areas of the park should be rehabilitated at nearby locations in accordance with legal provisions, he said. He also stressed that the directives of the Bombay High Court must be strictly followed to resolve the issues of encroachment removal and rehabilitation permanently.

Fadnavis emphasised that multiple agencies—including the Thane and Mira-Bhayandar municipal bodies, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, and the Housing and Forest Departments—must work in coordination to implement the rehabilitation plan.

He also instructed authorities to ensure that no new encroachments take place around the national park in the future and that the rehabilitation process is carried out in a fair manner without injustice to any family. Officials were asked to accurately determine the number of encroachers and relocate them to nearby areas.

Spread across the heart of the Mumbai metropolitan region, Sanjay Gandhi National Park is considered one of the world’s largest national parks located within a major city. It plays a crucial role in flood control for the city and forms the catchment area for the Tulsi Lake and Powai Lake.

The park is also the origin point of several rivers, including the Dahisar, Poisar, Mithi and Oshiwara rivers, and attracts millions of domestic and international tourists every year. It is also home to the ancient Kanheri Caves, dating back nearly 2,000 years, and contains 43 hamlets with more than 2,000 tribal families residing in the area.