In a significant move impacting coastal land governance and traditional fishing communities, the Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level committee to frame a standardised methodology for the physical survey and boundary demarcation of Koliwadas (traditional fishing settlements) across five districts of the Konkan region. The decision was formalised through a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Revenue and Forest Department on January 29, 2026.
The committee will oversee the formulation of procedures for conducting on-ground surveys and fixing boundaries of Koliwadas located in Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban districts have been excluded from the scope of this exercise.
Maharashtra has a coastline of approximately 720 kilometres, along which numerous Koliwadas have existed for generations. These settlements are home to traditional fishing communities engaged in hereditary marine fishing activities. However, unlike gaothans, Koliwadas do not have formally recorded boundaries in land revenue records, creating long-standing challenges related to land rights, planning, coastal regulation and development permissions.
As per the government, boundary demarcation and record entry of Koliwadas will require action under provisions of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966. In this context, the state has decided to first establish a uniform and legally robust framework for survey and demarcation before initiating district-level implementation.
The newly constituted committee will be chaired by the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division, and will include district collectors of all five districts, senior officials from town planning, land records, mangrove conservation, fisheries, Maharashtra Maritime Board, and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).
The committee’s mandate includes preparing a taluka-wise list of villages having Koliwadas, determining critical boundary references such as the High Tide Line (HTL), maritime boundaries, and mangrove limits, and recommending the formation of district-level committees for execution. It will also draft detailed guidelines and standard operating procedures for surveying and boundary fixation, along with a time-bound implementation framework for district administrations.
Importantly, the committee has been directed to study all applicable laws, rules and policies, including provisions related to boundary fixation, gaothan declaration and coastal regulation, before submitting its recommendations. The final report is to be submitted to the state government within three months.
The move is expected to have far-reaching implications for coastal land management, urban planning, CRZ compliance and protection of traditional fishing settlements, particularly in rapidly urbanising coastal districts such as Thane, Palghar and Raigad. Clear demarcation of Koliwada boundaries is also likely to reduce land disputes, bring regulatory clarity, and balance development pressures with livelihood protection.
The government resolution has been made available on the official Maharashtra government website and has been digitally authenticated.
