In what is turning out to be a classic case of administrative rush matching corporate greed, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is staring at a massive legal and safety scandal [New Projects Online, Nxtfootstep’s 2026 Developer Review]. Certified documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act expose how M/s Godrej Properties Ltd’s premium residential project, ‘Godrej Varanya’ (Plot Nos. 17, 18, 19, Sector 5A, Kharghar), has bypassed mandatory environmental guards and aviation safety procedures—all while CIDCO town planners looked the other way.
The investigation by EX7 News reveals a worrying chain of out-of-turn approvals, altered building configurations without fresh clearance, and a construction site functioning under a Fire NOC that technically declares itself “null and void.”
The Cart Before the Horse: CC Issued Before Mandatory NOCs
“The planning authority shall not issue a commencement certificate unless the Project Proponent obtains all revised NOCs for Storm Water Drain (SWD), Sewer, Fire, and Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste Management.”
Yet, official records reveal a complete administrative subversion:
CIDCO issued the Original Commencement Certificate (CC) on January 18, 2026.
A Revised CC was rushed through on February 10, 2026, within just seven days of the developer’s application.
However, the mandatory 1st Amended Provisional Fire NOC was only signed by CIDCO’s Chief Fire Officer, Vijay Shantaram Rane, on March 30, 2026.
The Smoking Gun: CIDCO issued building execution permits nearly two months before the vital safety and fire clearance was legally generated. This is a direct violation of the SEIAA mandate, rendering both Commencement Certificates legally unsustainable.
The Aviation Loophole: A “Null & Void” Fire Clearance As Navi Mumbai inches closer to operationalizing its international airport, height clearances have become structurally critical. Page 8 of the digitally signed Fire NOC dated March 30, 2026, carries a devastating self-destruct clause under the Chief Fire Officer’s own order:
“It is the responsibility of the builder/Developer… to obtain relevant height clearance NOC from the AAI before commencement of work. This proposal will become null and void if Aviation NOC from the AAI is not submitted.”
Our investigative team scanned the complete town planning ledger and RTI disclosures.
There is no AAI Height Clearance NOC on record.Despite the Fire NOC explicitly stating it becomes non-existent without an aviation green light, heavy piling rigs and massive cranes are actively operating on-site, aiming for a structural height of 74.90 meters (79.40 meters top profile). By the language of CIDCO’s own documents, the project is currently operating without a valid fire safety framework.
[18 Dec 2025] [18 Jan 2026] [30 Mar 2026]
SEIAA stamps EC ────────► CIDCO releases CC ───────► Fire NOC Signed
(Mandates 4 NOCs first) (Issued WITHOUT Fire NOC) (Admits no AAI NOC)
│ │
▼ ▼
[ILLEGAL EXECUTION] [LEGALLY NULL & VOID]
Higher Towers, Shorter Timelines: The FSI Game : RTI papers show that within 16 days of getting the original permit, the developer realigned its layout plan (Application No. RCITDA20290061) to exploit the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR).
The configuration of Tower 9 was altered from a G+22 structure to a G+23 structure, adding an entire liveable floor and inserting commercial establishments (shops 26 to 58) on the first floor. While the total built-up area saw a minor correction, the vertical footprint climbed by 3.05 meters.
Under EC General Condition C(VI), any change in the scope or configuration of a project requires the proponent to approach SEIAA for a fresh or amended Environmental Clearance. No such amendment was secured before commencing physical modifications, showcasing a blatant disregard for environmental oversight.
2,60,000 Cubic Meters of Unchecked Foothill Digging
The most visible ecological hazard is unfolding at the base of the Kharghar hills. The project involves an immense excavation load of 2,60,000 cubic meters (CUM).
Despite operating directly on a sloping foothill terrain prone to heavy monsoon waterlogging, the RTI dataset features no certified non-forest land status confirmation from the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), no National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) clearance, and no formal Slope Stability Engineering Report under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code. Furthermore, the developer’s paperwork lists a highly questionable count of just 10 trees across the entire 26,478 square meter hillside parcel to bypass environmental premiums.
Citizen Action: A 7-Day Countdown to the NGT
The paper trail was blown wide open by Navi Mumbai-based journalist and social activist Brahmanand R. Tiwari, who secured the certified blueprints through a hard-fought RTI appeal process.
Tiwari has served a comprehensive statutory challenge to the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of CIDCO and the Member Secretary of SEIAA, demanding an immediate Stop-Work Order and a multi-agency vigilance probe into the planning officials involved.
“This is not just a procedural mistake; it is deliberate administrative acceleration to benefit a tier-1 corporate house at the cost of public safety and environmental law,” Tiwari told EX7 News. “If CIDCO does not revoke these compromised permissions within 07 days, we are taking this straight to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Western Zone Bench in Pune under Section 14 of the NGT Act.”
The Ultimate Cost
This investigation exposes the core flaw of Navi Mumbai’s leasehold machinery:
Public land monetization takes absolute precedence over public safety. When a public planning body functions like a corporate entity hungry for land premiums, safety regulations become mere paperwork placeholders.EX7 News will continue to track this file as the 7-days statutory deadline approaches.
