CREDAI Seeks Faster Environmental Clearances to Boost Real Estate Growth

New Delhi, September 5, 2026: The real estate industry has called for faster and more predictable environmental approval procedures, with CREDAI urging authorities to reduce the time required for Environmental Clearance (EC) while maintaining existing environmental safeguards.

The issue was discussed at a high-level workshop organised by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.

CREDAI President Shekhar Patel, President-Elect G. Ram Reddy and MoEFCC Joint Secretary Rajat Agarwal, along with senior officials from the ministry and CPCB, participated in the discussions.

CREDAI said the average processing period for environmental clearances has already come down significantly, from around 120 days to 57 days.

Building on this improvement, the industry body has requested further measures to bring the average approval timeline down to 45 days.

CREDAI President Shekhar Patel stressed that developers were not seeking weaker environmental standards.

According to Patel, the industry’s objective is to make the approval process quicker and more predictable without compromising compliance with environmental regulations.

One of the key issues discussed was the alignment of Consent to Establish (CTE) requirements with projects that are being developed in phases.

The CPCB clarified the possibility of adopting phase-wise CTE where the corresponding Environmental Clearance already permits phased development. This could allow regulatory approvals to better match the actual construction schedule.

CREDAI called for the approach to be implemented consistently across States so developers do not have to undergo duplicate approval procedures.

The workshop also highlighted differences in how Environmental Clearance applications are examined by State Expert Appraisal Committees (SEACs).

CREDAI sought greater consistency in appraisal practices across States, arguing that uniform interpretation of regulations could make the approval system more predictable for companies operating in multiple regions.

The discussions also clarified that certain changes to a project’s conceptual plan may not require a fresh EC amendment when they do not increase parameters such as built-up area or pollution load, subject to applicable government guidelines.

MoEFCC also highlighted arrangements designed to keep Category-B project appraisals moving when SEIAA or SEAC bodies are temporarily non-functional.

A Standing Authority and Standing Committee comprising senior government and technical officials can facilitate appraisal work for a defined period until the relevant bodies are reconstituted.

Another important measure concerns projects delayed because of proceedings before courts or the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Such periods can be treated as a “zero period” while calculating EC validity, helping projects resume without unnecessarily undergoing a fresh appraisal.

The workshop also discussed procedural simplification in the Category-B approval process.

The requirement for developers to make a separate presentation before the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) after appraisal by SEAC has been removed, reducing an additional procedural step.

Other reforms discussed included changes concerning green-belt requirements, transfer and amendment of Terms of Reference (ToR) and ECs, land-acquisition documentation and digital processing through the PARIVESH portal.

MoEFCC informed participants that quarterly meetings are conducted with SEACs to assess pending applications and monitor the time taken for approvals.

The mechanism is intended to identify delays and improve the overall turnaround time for environmental clearance applications.CREDAI said it would continue engaging with MoEFCC, CPCB and State-level authorities to promote a regulatory framework that combines environmental responsibility with greater efficiency.

The organisation said clearer procedures, consistent appraisal standards and time-bound approvals could help developers execute projects more efficiently while continuing to comply with environmental requirements.

CREDAI represents more than 13,000 developers through 230 city chapters across 20 States and regularly engages with government ministries on policies affecting India’s real estate and housing sector.CREDAI, Real Estate Sector, Environmental Clearance, MoEFCC, CPCB