The Government of Maharashtra on April 10, 2026, has issued amendments to the Sand Mining Policy 2025 to strengthen regulation, monitoring, and operational efficiency of sand extraction across the state, with specific provisions for the Konkan region. These changes aim to facilitate lawful sand removal for infrastructure and local needs while ensuring environmental compliance and preventing illegal activities.
A major focus of the amendments is enhanced enforcement and monitoring. District and taluka-level sand monitoring committees have been strengthened by including port officials (in Konkan) and expanding their responsibilities. Authorities are mandated to conduct continuous surveillance of sand mining and transportation, especially in riverbeds and coastal (CRZ) areas. Dedicated flying squads involving multiple agencies (revenue, police, coastal authorities, and maritime bodies) will be deployed to curb illegal extraction, with strict actions such as seizure of unregistered or non-compliant boats. Registration of all sand-transporting vessels has been made mandatory.
The policy also introduces revised e-auction mechanisms for sand blocks. Auctions will be conducted based on geographical feasibility (district/taluka/block level) and will remain valid for one year or until stock or environmental clearance expires. For sand blocks spanning multiple districts, joint inspections, coordinated auctions, and proportional revenue sharing have been prescribed. Additionally, eligibility criteria for bidders have been rationalized by linking minimum turnover requirements to the size of sand reserves.
Further, procedural and financial provisions have been clarified to improve transparency. These include rules on EMD adjustment/refund, conditions for re-auctions (including recovery of losses from previous bidders), and refund of unextracted sand value without interest. The amendments also allow flexibility to district authorities (with approval) to modify implementation timelines for effective execution.
Key Points
Strengthened monitoring committees with additional members (especially for Konkan region)
Mandatory registration of all boats transporting sand
Formation of multi-agency flying squads to curb illegal mining
Strict enforcement including seizure of vessels involved in illegal activities
Revised e-auction process with defined tenure (up to 1 year or till stock clearance)
Joint auction and revenue-sharing mechanism for inter-district sand blocks
Updated bidder eligibility based on turnover linked to sand stock size
Clear rules on EMD adjustment, refunds (without interest), and re-auction liabilities
Provision for district-level flexibility in implementation timelines
[Government Decision No. Gaukhani-10/0125/Pr.No.05/Kh-1)
