Residents and environmental activists gathered in Mumbai’s western suburbs on March 6 to protest against the proposed Versova–Bhayander coastal road project, raising concerns over the possible destruction of thousands of mangroves along the city’s coastline.
The protest, titled “March for the Mangroves,” was held at Turzon Point in Charkop, Kandivali, where citizens formed a human chain and walked together to highlight the ecological risks associated with the project. Participants said the proposed coastal corridor could result in the loss of nearly 45,000 mangroves, which play a crucial role in protecting the city’s coastal environment.
The project, proposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, aims to develop a 26-km high-speed coastal route connecting Versova to Bhayander. Officials say the road could reduce travel time between the two locations from around two hours to approximately 18 minutes, easing congestion and improving connectivity in the region.
However, several residents argued that the environmental cost of the project could outweigh its benefits.
Among the protesters was Gaurang Vora, who questioned the rationale behind the project. “Mangroves are life,” he declared to the assembled protesters. “Why are they building this coastal road? It is for a small number of car owners, and the destruction will affect lakhs of people in the locality.”
He also criticised the government’s proposal for compensatory afforestation in areas away from the coast. “They say they will do afforestation in inland areas. This is not fair. How can you cut mangroves here and do afforestation somewhere else? An inland forest is not a coastal shield.”
Environmental advocates at the protest highlighted the importance of mangroves in protecting Mumbai from flooding and coastal erosion. According to experts, the city has already lost more than 40 percent of its mangrove cover between the 1970s and early 2000s. Legal interventions by the Bombay High Court in the mid-2000s helped slow the loss, but new infrastructure projects have continued to raise concerns.
The gathering included residents, environmental groups and students, many of whom expressed worries about climate change and rising sea levels. Some also raised concerns about construction activities taking place near mangrove zones.
Local resident Chandrakant Suvarna said unusual vibrations had been felt in buildings near the mangrove areas. “We have been feeling tremors in the buildings near the mangrove areas,” he revealed to the people he was speaking to. “It was only after we raised the alarm, only after we complained to the authorities, that they finally came to check.”
He also criticised the way development decisions are being taken. “They don’t care for people,” he said in a bitter tone. “There is a builder nexus. All they want is money.”
Civic authorities have argued that the project will help reduce traffic congestion and lower fuel consumption. To compensate for mangrove loss, the administration has proposed planting more than 1.3 lakh saplings in other districts such as Palghar and Chandrapur, near the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
As the protest concluded at sunset, participants said the campaign to protect mangroves and question the environmental impact of the coastal road would continue.
Source: Outlook
