Green Concerns Raised Over Coastal Road Project as 9,000 Mangroves Face Clearance

On the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, serious environmental concerns were voiced regarding the ₹16,621-crore Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road project. The alarm was raised by a Mumbai-based environmental activist, who addressed letters to the Chief Minister, the municipal commissioner, and officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The project, it was alleged, poses a grave ecological threat due to the proposed clearance of over 9,000 mangrove trees.

The MoEF&CC had granted stage-1 clearance for the diversion of mangroves on July 1. The road project has been designed to cut across mangrove-rich zones, leading to the permanent loss of 8.24 hectares of these critical ecosystems and the temporary disruption of an additional 68.55 hectares, potentially affecting 36,000 mangroves. Despite widespread objections raised at a public hearing conducted on May 23, it was reported that the session was prematurely concluded without accommodating all participants. A request for a second hearing was not entertained by the authorities.

In a detailed memorandum, Bandra-based green campaigner Natasha Perreira expressed deep apprehension over the ecological consequences of the project. It was asserted that claims of carbon neutrality were misleading, as the uprooting of thousands of mangroves would release substantial amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere. The projected savings in fuel and travel time, it was argued, would not offset the environmental costs. Concerns were also raised about the role of mangroves in safeguarding Mumbai’s coastline against rising sea levels, tidal surges, and cyclones. Their function in preventing land erosion and supporting marine biodiversity was emphasized, with warnings that their destruction would render Mumbai’s western coastline increasingly vulnerable.

Perreira also highlighted the inadequacies of past compensatory afforestation efforts across India, which have suffered from poor sapling survival and mismatched soil conditions. Moreover, the road project was criticised for catering largely to private car owners, who make up less than 2% of the city’s daily commuters, while public transport continues to decline. A demand was placed for the immediate halt of the project and the withdrawal of clearances for mangrove destruction. An appeal was also made for renewed investment in robust public transport and sustainable infrastructure planning.

In a related development, approval was granted by the MoEF&CC for the ₹2,395-crore Madh-Versova bridge project, which will span 2.06 km. This project, too, involves the diversion of 2.7515 hectares of mangrove forest. The BMC has committed to afforesting three hectares and planting three trees for every one that is removed, subject to clearance by the Bombay High Court. The developments have reignited debates over the balance between infrastructure growth and environmental preservation along Mumbai’s vulnerable coastline.

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