India, Jan. 25 -- The State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) has cleared a road project from Magathane to Kandivali that will require diversion of 2.59 hectares of land from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and 0.59 hectares from its eco-sensitive zone.

The 103 sq.km SGNP is already under severe pressure due to encroachments, infrastructure projects and alleged land grabs by builders. The proposal was unanimously cleared at the SBWL meeting held on January 6, at a time when the model code of conduct was in force for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Based on the minutes of the January 6 meeting, which HT has seen, the project will be taken up by the BMC and will provide an alternative connection to the Western Expre...