Bombay HC allows Cidco to remove mangroves for Uran bypass bridge

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday permitted the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to remove mangroves located on around 0.6266 hectare of

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday permitted the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to remove mangroves located on around 0.6266 hectare of land to make way for the construction of a bypass bridge between Hotel Anandi to Uran City (Dronagiri). HC has asked Cidco to give an undertaking of strictly complying with conditions laid down in permissions issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).

The Bombay HC ruled in favour of Cidco regarding removing mangroves in Uran. (HT Photo)

The division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni while hearing Cidco’s plea, was informed by advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni that the planning authority wanted to commence construction of an 11-metre-wide bypass bridge starting from Hotel Anandi to Uran city in Dronagiri, Navi Mumbai over 1.0287 hectare of land, of which 0.6266 hectare was mangroves/forest land.

Kumbhakoni submitted that the reliefs sought to cut the mangrove trees were in the public interest and Cidco was conscious of the preservation of the environment, hence it explored all possibilities to save the existing mangroves. However, after it concluded that there was no other alternative, it decided to remove the mangroves for implementation of the project, and hence the plea.

In its plea, Cidco contended that the project was part of its efforts to decongest traffic between Mumbai and the already developed area of Navi Mumbai. The bypass bridge at Uran was proposed for easing of traffic passing through the congested Uran city, as due to the non-availability of such a road, there were continuous roadblocks, traffic jams, accidents and other issues faced by locals. The bypass bridge would also help in reducing the pollution in the local area, said the plea.

Cidco further informed the court that it has proposed to set up an eco-friendly project with architectural intelligence and international standards, and had received relevant permissions from Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and clearances from the MoEF thereafter.

Advocates Sharmila Deshmukh and Rui Rodrigues for SEIAA and the Central government did not oppose the plea but said that Cidco would have to comply with conditions laid down for the same.

After hearing the submissions, the bench granted permission to cut/remove mangroves and noted, “We are of the opinion that an exception is required to be made in favour of the petitioner to remove the mangroves as prayed for, and subject matter of the conditions as granted by the respondent authorities as the work in question is for the public good and in public interest.”

Before disposing of the plea, the court directed the Cidco officer to file an undertaking within one week of strictly complying with conditions imposed in permissions granted by SEIAA and MoEF.