Understanding CRZ classifications on the Konkan coast

The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification divides India's coastline into zones — I through IV — each with different construction rules. Two plots a few hundred metres apart can carry very different development rights depending on their classification.

CRZ-I covers ecologically sensitive areas and areas between the low and high tide line — construction is almost entirely prohibited. CRZ-II covers areas already substantially built up. CRZ-III covers relatively undisturbed coastal land, where development is permitted subject to setback norms. CRZ-IV covers the water area itself.

For coastal investment in Sindhudurg and similar corridors, CRZ-III is typically where residential and tourism-linked opportunities are viable — but the classification must be verified for the specific parcel, not assumed from its general location.