The Maharashtra forest department has begun the process of surveying and clearing mangrove patches to facilitate the second phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. On Friday, the Mangrove (North Konkan) Division issued a tender for the “survey, demarcation and execution of Mangrove Tree felling and transportation works” to enable diversion of 103.65 hectares of forest land for the proposed Versova–Bhayandar DP road.
A total of 45,675 mangrove trees have been identified within the affected stretch. Of these, 9,000 trees will be permanently removed, while 36,675 are slated for transplantation and restoration after construction. The impacted mangroves are spread across 103.65 hectares of marshy and saline terrain.
The move follows a December 12, 2025 order by the Bombay High Court, which permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to proceed with the high-speed corridor and approved the felling of mangroves in the designated area.
The tender outlines detailed tasks, including establishing benchmarks, conducting ground demarcation using total station survey instruments, and preparing survey drawings and field documentation. After the survey, approved trees will be cut manually or mechanically under the supervision of the Divisional Forest Officer, with each tree marked and recorded. The work also involves clearing obstructing shrubs and vegetation to ensure safe operations.
Cut wood will be segregated, stacked at designated stockyards, and transported to approved locations. The entire exercise, estimated at Rs. 1.90 crore, is expected to take 12 months.
The 33.40-km corridor between Versova and Bhayandar, pegged at nearly Rs. 18,200 crore, aims to reduce travel time from 120 minutes to 18 minutes and ease congestion on key western suburbs routes.
Source: The Indian Express
