The government approved diversion of 1,73,984.3 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes between 2014-15 and 2023-24, Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Monday. It is nearly four times the size of Greater Mumbai (437.71 square kilometres). The mining and quarrying sector, hydropower energy and irrigation sector, and road projects accounted for about 63% of diversion.