Project Of Eminent National Importance: Apex Court Seeks Response Of State On Plea Seeking Permission To Fell Trees In Mumbai’s Film City

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was told by Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta that all statutory permissions and the environmental clearance for the proposed construction have been obtained by the project proponent.

The senior lawyer also said the project does not fall under the Aarey forest and is inside the Film City.

However, as a matter of abundant caution, the project proponent has come to the Apex Court to seek its nod due to its January 10, 2025, order, he said.

On January 10, 2025, a bench headed by Justice A S Oka, since retired, directed the tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) not to allow any further tree felling in Mumbai's Aarey colony without its permission.

Today, Mehta said the Centre and others want to construct the National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality in the Film City.

He said 124 trees have to be felled and 333 transplanted for the project.

The senior lawyer also said compensatory afforestation will be undertaken in accordance with the norms and the project proponent has moved the court as a matter of abundant caution.

He said more than 5,000 trees have been planted through the Maharashtra Forest Development Corporation.

Observing that a balance between development and preservation of trees has to be found out, the bench asked the state government and others, including NGO Vanshakti, which had moved the Bombay High Court on the Aarey forest issue, to respond to the plea within two weeks.

"After all, it is a project of eminent national importance," the CJI said.