The Bombay High Court has granted Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Ltd (AEMIL) permission to lay a 1,000-megawatt high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line from Kudus in Palghar district to Aarey Colony. The 80-km-long project aims to enhance Mumbai’s electricity transmission capacity but will pass through ecologically sensitive zones, including the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary(TWLS) and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
The court’s decision, delivered on February 6 by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, requires AEMIL to undertake compensatory mangrove plantation and adhere strictly to environmental regulations. The project will result in the felling of 209 mangrove trees, with 144 under the Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit (MMCU) and 65 within the SGNP forest division.
AEMIL had filed a writ petition on August 26, 2024, seeking approval for the project, citing the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (MERC) 2019 observation that increasing the city’s electricity transfer capacity was essential. The transmission line will include 30 km of overhead wiring and 50 km of underground cabling, with horizontal directional drilling planned beneath Vasai Creek to mitigate ecological impact.
During the hearing, AEMIL’s counsel argued that the project was in the public interest, and all necessary approvals for work in coastal regulatory zones (CRZ) had been obtained. The company committed to planting five times the number of mangroves cut down as part of compensatory afforestation. However, respondents, including the Bombay Environmental Action Group, raised concerns about the ecological impact, particularly on vulnerable species in the national parks.
The court ruled that balancing sustainable development with environmental preservation was necessary. It noted that transmission line projects are permissible in CRZ-I areas under the 2011 Coastal Regulation Zone notification and emphasized the importance of boosting the city’s power infrastructure. AEMIL has been directed to submit an undertaking ensuring compliance with all environmental and safety regulations during execution.
Source: Hindustan Times
