HC okays razing of mangroves for Metro-2A corridor

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday cleared three Metro-related projects for which the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will need to

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday cleared three Metro-related projects for which the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will need to cut mangroves. The bench observed these projects were in public interest and therefore may be held as exceptions to the 2018 HC order prohibiting the destruction of mangroves.

HT Image

A bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and RI Chagla allowed MMRDA to cut 86 mangroves for a car maintenance yard at Malwani for Mumbai Metro line 2-A. MMRDA also received clearance to construct 28 piers for the Metro line through the mangrove buffer zone at Valani; and to cut 63 mangroves at Thane creek to construct an elevated corridor (a flyover and link road) connecting Airoli Bridge to Thane-Belapur road.

The bench said these projects were necessary in public interest and took into consideration that HC has granted similar permissions when project proponents have sought to execute public projects for bona fide public utility. The 18.589 kilometre-long Metro line 2-A, with 17 stations between Dahisar and DN Nagar, is expected to be operational next year.

According to MMRDA, 86 mangroves need to be cut to construct the car maintenance yard for Metro line 2-A, These are spread over 16.40 hectares (ha) and are not thickly-populated. The forest department has identified 3.3 ha land at Dharivli, near Borivli, for compensatory afforestation. The elevated corridor at Airoli is 2.575 km long. A six-lane road will be constructed on 2.71 ha in coastal regulation zone (CRZ) 1, affecting 63 mangroves spread over 0.983 ha.

On Wednesday, the bench also allowed City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to undertake construction to re-align Ulwe river, which flows through the proposed Greenfield International Airport in Navi Mumbai. The bench cleared CIDCO’s proposal to shift an extra-high voltage transmission line of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, which passes through the proposed international airport.

By a separate order, the bench also cleared the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to go ahead with the construction of a new bridge on Thane creek, along Sion-Panvel road.

Necessary statutory permissions have already been granted for all these projects.