The Supreme Court on Monday emphasized the importance of preserving green spaces for children’s recreation, highlighting the need for accessible areas where children can “play and breathe freely.” The court warned that without such spaces, children would be left with little more than “playing only video games.” The remarks came as the court dismissed an appeal filed by Maharashtra’s city planning agency, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which sought to relocate a proposed sports complex from Navi Mumbai to Raigad, located 115 km away.
Led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, the bench, which included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, voiced strong concerns over urban planning that neglects green zones and open spaces, particularly in densely populated areas like Navi Mumbai. The bench ruled that such spaces are vital for the well-being of residents and should be preserved, especially in urban environments where green areas are increasingly under threat from development.
The dispute centered on a proposal to relocate a sports complex initially planned for Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai to Nanore village in Raigad. The sports complex was intended to be a major facility for the region, modeled after Pune’s Balewadi Sports Complex and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. CIDCO had argued that the relocation would benefit the region’s development, but the Supreme Court disagreed with this reasoning.
The bench dismissed CIDCO’s appeal, upholding a Bombay High Court judgment that had described the relocation decision as “totally arbitrary and ipse dixit.” The high court had effectively invalidated a 2021 Maharashtra government resolution that approved the shift of the sports complex from its original location in Navi Mumbai. The court found that relocating the complex would deprive Navi Mumbai residents of an essential public facility, which is particularly important in an urban area where green spaces are scarce.
The Supreme Court’s ruling stressed the importance of preserving green spaces as the “last few lungs” of cities, cautioning against giving them up for further development. The judgment highlighted the need for responsible urban planning that prioritizes public spaces for recreation and well-being over commercial development.
