Environment Clearance in Nalasopara, Vasai-Virar.

Large new layouts in Nalasopara, particularly on the open land further east, can exceed 20,000 sq m in built-up area, which is where environment clearance begins to apply. Here the appraisal committee looks closely at how the site drains, how much it has been filled, and where sewage and waste will go. We gather the drainage and flood information early, present a site plan that stores rain on site instead of shedding it onto neighbours, then file with SEIAA Maharashtra.

Nalasopara is one of the most crowded parts of Vasai-Virar, spread on both sides of its railway station. The western side includes Sopara, an old settlement with a long history as a port, and its older villages, wadis and tanks. The eastern side grew much faster and more recently, largely as buildings of five to seven storeys raised on former paddy and low ground, many of them affordable homes for families who work in Mumbai. Roads, drainage and public open ground have lagged behind construction, and parts of the town now flood in heavy monsoon rain.