Thane district will likely lose 14 hectares of forest to a road widening project, with the National Highway Authority of India planning to upgrade the 4-lane carriageway between Vadpe in Bhiwandi taluka to Thane city to an 8-lane thoroughfare. Officials said NHAI has sought clearance from the Union environment ministry to clear the green cover on the grounds that it will ease traffic in the area.

In a proposal sent to the central ministry in the second week of this month, NHAI has said that the project will need 14.613 ha, equivalent to 41 acres, of forest land and 110.45 ha of non-forested space.