E-Paper
New Mahabaleshwar final draft DP proposes large-scale conversion of agri land into residential zones
As many as 126 changes have been incorporated, compared to the originally proposed DP. These include alterations in land use
The final draft Development Plan (DP) for the New Mahabaleshwar project, submitted in mid-December 2025 by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), proposes extensive changes to land use across the planning area, with the majority of modifications involving conversion of agricultural land into residential zones.
As many as 126 changes have been incorporated, compared to the originally proposed DP. These include alterations in land use, zoning patterns, and public reservations across several villages falling within the planning limits.
MSRDC officials said the revised plan seeks to align statutory planning provisions with non-agricultural (NA) permissions granted by tehsildars over the past several decades. The objective is to regularise existing land-use patterns and ensure that the DP reflects ground realities.
Villages such as Tapola, Kushi, Vanvali Tarf Ategaon, Harchandi, Vengle, Tetli, Ghanbi, Phalani, Bambe, Shiral, Ekiv, Walne and Morewadi are proposed to witness reclassification of agricultural land for residential or tourism-related development. In some cases, land earlier reserved for industrial use has also been proposed to be redesignated as residential, following prior approval for NA use.
The DP also proposes deletion and relocation of several public reservations. Reservations for markets, community halls, parking facilities, dispensaries, educational institutions, solid waste management facilities, botanical gardens and town planning offices have been proposed to be removed at multiple locations. In several instances, land released due to deletion of reservations is proposed to revert to the agricultural zone, while in rapidly urbanising areas, it has been included in residential zones. A number of reservations are proposed to be shifted to government-owned land to avoid acquisition of private property, with alternative sites identified in villages such as Shiral, Aral, Palshi, Borne, Chikli and Thankal.
Expansion of Tourism Development Zones (TDZs) is another key feature of the draft, particularly in hill and eco-sensitive villages. Land parcels in Phalani, Andhari, Kasani, Ekiv, Ghanbi and Waghali are proposed to be shifted from agriculture or forest zones to TDZs, in line with earlier recommendations.
On the infrastructure front, the DP proposes new connectivity measures, including nine-metre and 15-metre-wide roads linking major district and village roads; a new bridge connecting two villages; extension of DP roads up to village boundaries; and a proposal for a new railway station near Khandeshwari temple.
The draft retains a standard provision that any future revision of the High Flood Line, if authenticated by the irrigation department, will automatically result in corresponding zoning changes, with the planning authority’s decision being final.
Several proposed modifications also aim to address technical discrepancies such as mismatched survey numbers, boundary errors and outdated cadastral records. Updated maps from tehsildar offices and the deputy superintendent of land records are proposed to be used to correct zoning boundaries and reservation details.
MSRDC officials said that once approved, the revised DP could significantly reshape settlement patterns in the New Mahabaleshwar region, ease development permissions, and promote residential and tourism-led growth, while reducing land acquisition pressures by relocating public amenities to government land.
Uday Chander D, town planning officer at MSRDC, said apart from the existing plan, the corporation is in the process of appointing a consultant to prepare a draft Development Plan for newly added villages. “Both projects are expected to receive a boost after the municipal elections,” he added.
