Supreme Court permits officials to process applications for setting up non-polluting MSMEs in Taj Trapezium Zone
The Supreme Court of India has allowed the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority to process pending applications for non-polluting MSMEs. The court mandated that all proposals must be reviewed by experts from NEERI and the Central Empowered Committee to ensure environmental protection.
Why it matters
It balances the need for industrial economic growth with the strict environmental regulations required to preserve the Taj Mahal.
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 23, 2026) permitted the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) Authority to process around 400 pending applications for the establishment of non-polluting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within the ecologically sensitive area surrounding the Taj Mahal.
The TTZ, spanning nearly 10,400 sq. km. across the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh, and Bharatpur in Rajasthan, was created pursuant to the Supreme Court’s directions to protect the mausoleum from environmental pollution. In October 2024, the top court had placed a moratorium on the TTZ Authority’s approval of new industrial units and the expansion of existing ones without the court’s prior approval.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan, however, directed that every proposal be scrutinised by experts nominated by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
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