New Delhi: An expert committee has advised the central government to relax the limit on commercial construction in coastal areas, recommending that the current 500-metre restriction be reduced to 200 metres. If accepted, this change would allow construction activities across 2,790 square kilometres of India’s coastal belt.

The recommendation follows the reforms announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address. The committee, chaired by NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba, submitted its report to the central government, noting that the existing 500-metre restriction from the high tide line is excessively stringent.

The panel highlighted that the current limit adversely affects small tourism businesses, fishing enterprises, and homestays. By comparison, countries such as Spain, Vietnam, and Indonesia maintain a coastal construction limit of just 100 metres.

In addition to relaxing construction norms, the committee has also recommended easing conditions for granting industrial environmental permits to facilitate development while balancing ecological considerations.