The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has commenced mangrove clearing activities for the Coastal Road North project, with work currently underway in Charkop Sector 8. While civic officials maintain that the exercise is being carried out in a controlled manner and will not disrupt natural drainage patterns, local residents and environmental activists have expressed concerns about the long-term impact on flood management and the surrounding ecosystem.
According to residents, boundary demarcation for mangrove removal has been completed and nearly 60% of the clearing within the designated area in Charkop Sector 8 has already been carried out. They fear that the loss of mangrove cover, which acts as a natural buffer, could increase the risk of waterlogging in nearby residential neighbourhoods during heavy rainfall.
“The BMC has marked a boundary for mangrove cutting, and has completed 60 per cent of the mangrove removal within that boundary in Charkop Sector 8. We fear the rainwater will enter residential areas as the mangrove land is adjacent to our buildings. Removal of mangrove will disturb the natural ecosystem as it acts as a buffer,” said Mili Shetty, a local resident and activist.
Shetty further stated that an RTI query seeking details of hydrological studies and flood mitigation assessments related to the Versova–Bhayandar interchange reportedly received a response from the BMC’s Bridges Department indicating that no such information was available.
“If they haven’t conducted a scientific study or have mitigation measures of possible flooding, how is the BMC sure there won’t be any water logging in residential areas due to the project?” she questioned.
Civic officials associated with the project have rejected these concerns, stating that the mangrove cutting is being undertaken in a linear manner and does not obstruct natural water channels. They also noted that water within the marshland originates from creek systems rather than tidal sea action and therefore does not pose an overflow risk.
The Coastal Road North project, estimated at Rs 22,000 crore, will span 26.3 km from Versova to Bhayandar. More than 45,000 mangroves across 103.65 hectares are expected to be affected, of which around 9,000 will be permanently removed. Authorities have stated that the remaining mangroves will be replanted and rejuvenated after four years, while compensatory plantation sites have been identified in Chandrapur and Palghar districts.
Source: The Free Press Journal
