A protest by residents of Cuffe Parade against the construction of a sea protection bund near Machhimar Nagar turned tense on Sunday after members of the neighbouring fishing community staged a counter-demonstration at the site.
Around 100 residents from different parts of Cuffe Parade gathered at Bay View Marine Garden around 11 am to oppose the dumping of stones and construction of a soil bund along the Machhimar Nagar coastline. Protesters alleged that the activity could eventually lead to land reclamation and future encroachments along the seafront.
The demonstration was organised by members of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association, who demanded that authorities install tetrapods instead of building a soil embankment to prevent seawater from entering coastal settlements.
Ashok Malhotra, 82, said locals had recently observed large quantities of stones being dumped into the sea. Swati Ghatalia, 61, added, “A similar pattern occurred earlier in Machhimar Nagar areas 1 and 2 two years ago, where land was gradually reclaimed and later encroached upon.”
Dr Padmakar Nandekar said allowing stones to be dumped into the sea could encourage illegal reclamation. “If stones are allowed to be dumped in the sea, it effectively opens the door for illegal reclamation and future encroachments. Citizens cannot remain silent while public land is gradually taken over,” he said.
Soon after the protest began, around 200 residents from the adjoining Machhimar Colony entered the garden and opposed the demonstration, forcing the gathering to disperse.
Shashikant Dhanu said the garden was a public space. “For God’s sake, this is a BMC garden. If they are residents, so are we. How can they block our access?” he said.
Another resident, Sanket Bhalerao, alleged that the residents’ association had been making life difficult for the fishing community, which he said had lived in the area for generations.
Members of the residents’ association rejected these claims. Rajiv Daryanani said, “At that time there were only eight huts, and those too were considered illegal and were demolished.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Narwekar said the sea protection structure was being built based on a scientific study conducted by the Maharashtra Maritime Board to address seawater entering homes during high tides and the monsoon.
According to officials, the Machhimar Nagar coastline has experienced severe erosion due to strong wave action during the monsoon. The project involves constructing a 420-metre sea wall to protect the fishermen’s settlement at Shivshahi Machhimar Nagar No. 5.
Narwekar said the structure’s design would discourage encroachments. “There is no straight stretch of land. The structure has a sloping gradient, which makes encroachment difficult,” he said.
Officials also clarified that what appeared to be reclamation was only a temporary access road created for construction work, which will be removed once the project is completed.
Source: Hindustan Times
