Bombay High Court Orders Two-Month Deadline To Review Mula-Mutha River Floodline
Bombay High Court Orders Two-Month Deadline To Review Mula-Mutha River Floodline
Pune, July 2, 2025
The Bombay High Court has instructed a re-evaluation of the floodline demarcation along Pune’s Mula-Mutha river, directing the expert committee to submit its findings to the Maharashtra government within two months. The order comes a year after a similar directive was issued with little to no progress made on redrawing the floodline.
The order was passed during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar, and Vijay Kumbhar. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne, mandated that the state must act on the committee’s recommendations within two months of receiving the report. The petitioners are also permitted to present suggestions directly to the state.
Previously, in June 2024, the court had ordered the formation of a technical committee to review the floodline in light of major development projects, including the Pune Riverfront Development. The government was required to establish this committee within two weeks and prepare a comprehensive floodline review plan within four weeks. The panel was to be headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department.
Despite the earlier directive, the committee’s review has not been implemented. This delay raised concerns over unchecked urban development close to riverbanks, which could obstruct the river’s natural flow and increase the risk of flooding.
The petitioners also urged the court to halt development within 100 meters of the existing floodline until a new demarcation is finalized. However, the court declined to grant a blanket stay on such developments, citing a lack of specific complaints against ongoing construction within that boundary. It advised the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to review the matter and act in accordance with the law, ensuring due process for affected individuals.
The court also emphasized the need to incorporate data from various sources, including the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), and local hydrological studies. Specifically, it flagged the omission of water flow from the catchment area between Khadakwasla dam and the Mula-Mutha confluence during the 2011 flood assessment as a major oversight.
The petitioners further requested that floodline markings in the 2017 Development Plan for Pune be replaced with those based on flood maps from March 5, 2011. The court reiterated the significance of accurate floodline mapping, stating that failure to do so could severely compromise flood safety and urban planning.
The case underscores the urgent need for scientific and updated flood risk assessments to balance infrastructure growth and environmental sustainability in Pune.
