In a major push to improve ease of doing business, the Government of Maharashtra has significantly simplified the process for obtaining tree-felling permissions. The state has reduced the number of mandatory documents required from 11 to just 5, while also speeding up approval timelines for industrial and government projects.
What Has Changed?
As per the latest corrigendum issued by the Revenue and Forest Department, applicants seeking tree-felling permission will now need to submit only the following five documents:
- Updated 7/12 land record extract with tree registration
- Consent letters from all co-owners (if multiple landholders exist)
- Survey/map of the land parcel
- Caste certificate (if the applicant belongs to Scheduled Tribe category)
- Undertaking for compensatory tree plantation
This is a major reduction from the earlier requirement of 11 documents, making the process faster and less cumbersome.
Faster Approvals: 30 Days to 15 Days
The government has also revised the approval timeline:
- Earlier: 30 days for industrial projects
- Now: 15 days for both industrial and government projects
This fast-track approval will be granted as a special case after detailed scrutiny and verification, ensuring both speed and compliance.
Why This Matters
The move is part of Maharashtra’s broader strategy to boost Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and attract investments by removing bureaucratic hurdles.
Key Impacts:
- Faster project clearances for industries and infrastructure
- Reduced compliance burden on developers and businesses
- Improved efficiency in government processes
- Potential boost to real estate and industrial development
Policy Background
The update modifies an earlier circular issued in April 2017 aimed at improving industrial facilitation. While the core framework remains unchanged, this corrigendum introduces targeted reforms to simplify procedures and reduce delays.
What It Means for Real Estate & Infrastructure
For developers, especially in land-constrained markets like Mumbai and MMR:
- Tree-felling approvals often delay project timelines
- Faster permissions can accelerate project launches
- Cluster redevelopment and infrastructure projects may benefit directly
Bottom Line
By cutting documentation requirements and halving approval timelines, Maharashtra is sending a strong signal to investors and developers: projects will move faster with fewer hurdles—while still maintaining regulatory checks.
