The Supreme Court has allowed the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority to process roughly 400 pending applications for setting up non-polluting micro, small and medium enterprises in the area around the Taj Mahal. The order matters because it keeps environmental safeguards for the Taj Trapezium Zone in place while reopening a limited path for regulated economic activity.
Background and earlier position
The Taj Trapezium Zone is an ecologically sensitive area created under Supreme Court directions to protect the Taj Mahal from environmental pollution. The zone covers nearly 10,400 sq. km across districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
In October 2024, the Supreme Court imposed a moratorium on the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority approving new industrial units or expanding existing ones without court approval. The October 2024 moratorium created a pause on fresh industrial clearance in the zone.
What changed now
The latest order permits the Taj Trapezium Zone Authority to process the pending applications for non-polluting micro, small and medium enterprises, but only within the earlier constraints. The order does not remove environmental oversight; it allows processing under the same protective framework.
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