Cidco wants to divert 45ha forest land for three projects

Navi Mumbai’s planning agency has proposed the diversion of 45.2 hectares (ha) reserved mangrove forest areas for three different projects, which could lead to the

Navi Mumbai’s planning agency has proposed the diversion of 45.2 hectares (ha) reserved mangrove forest areas for three different projects, which could lead to the loss of at least 20,000 mangrove trees.

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The proposals were submitted by City Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (Cidco) before the forest department on Tuesday. Environmentalists have opposed these projects as areas extending from Uran to Ulwe already faced flooding last monsoon, and loss of mangroves may further escalate such concerns.

“On one hand the state is talking about mitigation measures to protect coastal areas from climate change impacts while large scale mangrove destruction is planned for such projects. Mangroves have eight times the carbon sequestering capacity than terrestrial forests, and losing them is not an option,” said Debi Goenka, trustee, Conservation Action Trust.

The first project is the construction of a 10.1-km six-lane coastal road connecting Amra Marg in Navi Mumbai to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) area via the under-construction Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). The first phase will connect Amra Marg to MTHL across 7.02 km including a 1.2km Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) Link. Phase II will connect MTHL to JNPT across 3.08 km.

The second project is the 26.7km Nerul-Belapur-Uran railway corridor jointly conceived by Cidco and the Central Railways. The third project is also a 6.82 km coastal road connecting the Central Business District of Belapur sector 11 to sector 16 Jalmarg at Kharghar, which will lead to the diversion of 8.8 ha forest land. “The loss of mangroves for the second and third project is negligible as there is sparse mangrove cover in both areas,” said DR Patil, general manager (environment), Cidco who is holding the additional charge of divisional forest officer (mangrove cell), Mumbai.

According to the details accessed by HT from the state mangrove cell, Cidco has proposed the diversion of 22.4 ha reserved forest land, home to over 17,000 mangrove trees. The diversion includes 12 ha forest land from Gavhan village area, 7.1 ha from Wahal and 3.2 ha from Targhar, all in Raigad district.

The justification report for the project, submitted to the forest department by Cidco reads, “There is a high increase in traffic resulting in congestion on major link roads. There is a need to provide an exclusive road to serve the traffic demand arising out of the developments expected from Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone, and other Cidco development projects at Ulwe node.”

“By connecting Nerul to Kharkopar to Uran, the project will accelerate the growth of Navi Mumbai by providing direct access between Uran town, JNPT, and other areas of MMR. The cost of the project is being shared by CR and CIDCO in the ratio of 33:67%,” read the project note. For this, Cidco has proposed the diversion of 14 ha forest land (10 ha for a railway line and 3.9 ha for the platform across Thane - 8.3 ha and Raigad - 5.6 ha).

State agencies like Cidco were directed to hand over mangrove areas to the forest department but this has not been done yet, said environmentalists. Stalin D, director, Vanashakti said, “Cidco is the single largest destroyer of mangroves for any state agency. If elevated roads are being built, there is no need to divert so much forest area. Cidco is trying to grab more land for real estate projects in nearby areas.”