Supreme Court Resolves Landmark Mumbai Park vs. Pond Dispute

The Supreme Court has overruled a 2018 Bombay High Court decision that ordered the demolition of a recreation park, developed by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), on the historic site of Khajuria Lake. Instead, the Court acknowledged the modern-day public benefits stemming from the park, weighing these against traditional environmental considerations.

The dispute centered around Khajuria Lake, a deteriorating water body known for Ganesh idol immersions, which was repurposed into a park as part of a city beautification project. Despite lacking formal approval, the MCGM completed the development in 2011, creating a community hub that faced legal challenges promoting its demolition under the public trust doctrine.

Chiefly noting the altered site conditions and the impracticality of reviving the lake without causing greater ecological harm, the judgment emphasized contextual environmental jurisprudence. It mandated the park's continued public use, barred commercial activities, and instructed the identification and restoration of other water bodies, integrating development with ecological responsibility.

(With inputs from agencies.)