Hundreds of residents and environmental activists formed a massive human chain at Belapur Hill on Sunday, demanding urgent government intervention on alleged illegal constructions and tree felling that they say have destabilised the landslide-prone slopes, raised safety fears and ignored repeated community warnings.
Protesters, organised by the Save Belapur Hills Forum and NatConnect Foundation, drew attention to at least 30 alleged unauthorised structures spreading across fragile slopes of the hill overlooking parts of Navi Mumbai.
According to activists, information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act shows these constructions occupy around 2.3 lakh sq ft of public land, potentially endangering lives.
Speaking at the gathering, B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, said the campaign was not aimed at any community or specific structure but at preventing a tragedy similar to the 2023 Irshalwadi landslide in Raigad district, which claimed 84 lives.
“Large-scale tree felling to facilitate these constructions has weakened soil stability,” Kumar warned, urging civic authorities to act before the upcoming monsoon season, when heavy rainfall could trigger landslides.
The protest attracted residents not just from Belapur but surrounding sectors of the city, including those who live directly below the hill’s slopes. Activists highlighted that over 600 families live in areas they describe as danger zones due to possible future slope failures, and demanded immediate geotechnical surveys and enforcement against alleged violations.
Calls for Government Action and Official Responses
Despite repeated community alerts over the years, including earlier warnings about hill cutting and unstable soil, officials have so far been silent on concrete enforcement against the structures that protesters say are on public land.
There has been no formal statement from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) or the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) confirming whether enforcement action will be taken against the alleged unauthorised buildings. However, activists cited past action on encroachments in other parts of Navi Mumbai as examples of what can be done.
A source familiar with local governance told The Logical Indian that authorities have been conducting internal assessments but face legal, administrative and political hurdles before issuing demolition notices — especially where structures are reported to have changed owners or legal claims. (This source requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing reviews.)
In the absence of an official denial, several residents and environmental groups have petitioned the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) to take up the matter, alleging that public safety is being compromised through inaction. Court records show a pending case filed last year relating to Belapur Hill encroachment concerns.
Historical Context and Environmental Stakes
Belapur Hill, part of the larger Parsik Hill range that stretches across sections of Navi Mumbai and Thane, has long been recognised as ecologically sensitive and landslide-prone. The slopes are known to consist of loose soil, and past surveys have warned of geological instability.
Activists have been raising concerns over unauthorised constructions, hill cutting and ecological disruption for years. A similar pattern of concern was expressed in 2024 when environmental groups highlighted ongoing digging and slope alteration on nearby slopes near Belapur even drawing the attention of courts and regulatory bodies.
The latest protest reportedly the third human chain action on this issue reflects growing frustration at what many locals describe as “empty promises” of enforcement from authorities dating back to the mid-2010s.
Environmental activists also point out that this is not an isolated issue in Navi Mumbai. Similar concerns about tree felling, habitat loss and ecological degradation are surfacing elsewhere such as protests against tree cutting for the Mumbai Coastal Road Phase II and civic action on water ecosystem conservation.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The passionate response from Belapur’s residents is a reminder of the fundamental duty of civic authorities: to protect life, uphold environmental safeguards and ensure that urban development does not come at the cost of citizen safety or ecological health.
Civil society mobilisations like human chains, petitions and legal challenges reflect deep rooted public concern not just about structures clinging to a hill, but about the cumulative environmental stress affecting cities like Navi Mumbai.
We believe that dialogue, transparency and action must replace bureaucratic inertia. Authorities should prioritise independent geo-technical studies, transparent public reporting and swift action where genuine violations are found. If laws are to matter, they must be enforced equally and fairly without fear or favour.
Equally, environmental activism should be met with engagement, not dismissal. Residents are not being obstructionists; they are advocates for safety, sustainability and a future where human life and nature can co-exist harmoniously.
Constructive conversations between communities, planners and policymakers can find solutions that support both development and ecological protection.
