The government on Thursday deferred a decision on Mukesh Ambani-promoted Navi Mumbai special economic zone on objections from the revenue department, but cleared the Tata's long pending Gopalpur SEZ project in Orissa.
The Board of Approval deferred a decision on the multi-product Navi Mumbai SEZ as the Revenue Department had serious reservations about the fencing of five villages and water bodies that fall in the zone.
Moreover, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust has raised objections on the ground that national highway passing through Navi Mumbai SEZ was proposed to be upgraded to four-lane.
"We will seek comments from the state government and promoters on the report of the Revenue Department," commerce secretary and BoA chairman Gopal K Pillai said.
The matter is expected to come up again at the board's next meeting on June 22.
The BoA approved the Gopalpur SEZ promoted by the Tatas that will come up on more than 1,173 hectares of land. The clearance was delayed earlier as the BoA wanted approval from security agencies since the project is located close to a crucial military establishment.
In all, 24 SEZs were given formal approval and six were given in-principle clearance.
Decisions on five zones in Uttar Pradesh, where a new government has assumed office, were deferred but two in Kanpur promoted by state government agencies were cleared. Two SEZ proposals from Madhya Pradesh were also deferred but one in Chhindwara, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath's constituency, was cleared.
