Bombay High Court Quashes Maha Govt's Move To Acquire 84 Hectares Of Tata Power Land Near Pune's Thokarwadi Dam

The Bombay High Court has overturned the Maharashtra Government's plan to acquire 84 hectares of land owned by Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) near Thokarwadi Dam in Pune, stating that the acquisition benefited a private entity at the expense of hydroelectric projects. A panel of Justices Manish Pitale and Shreeram Shirsat ruled that the State had improperly used the Maharashtra Industrial Development Act (MID Act) and bypassed the standard land acquisition procedures.

The disputed land, which includes two outcrops within the Thokarwadi Dam reservoir, was previously allocated to TPCL for hydroelectric projects between 1911 and 1930. TPCL currently operates a 75 MW hydroelectric station and is developing a proposed 1,000 MW pumped storage project, for which it had been granted 126 hectares of adjacent land.

The Maharishi Vedoddharak Foundation had also been granted 126 hectares of adjoining land for its 'Centre for Perfect Health' project, which planned to include an Ayurvedic manufacturing facility, wellness center, and college. The foundation sought an additional 84 hectares for its project. The State Government declared the land an industrial area on March 3, 2025, and initiated acquisition proceedings the following day.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation sent show-cause notices to TPCL, which challenged the action before the High Court. The court questioned the acquisition process, noting that notifications did not determine that the land was unused. It also pointed out that authorities failed to investigate whether the land was genuinely unutilized, despite it continuing to serve its original purpose and being necessary for TPCL's pumped storage project.