The Bombay High Court has constituted a task force to determine appropriate compensation for fishing communities affected by the construction of Thane Creek Bridge-III (TCB-III). The court has also questioned a report prepared by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), stating that it lacked a scientific framework and objective standards to assess the actual impact on affected families.
In its October 16 judgment, a bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande directed that compensation should align with the Maharashtra government’s policy for project-affected fishing communities.
“This exercise is expected to be completed as expeditiously as possible within a period of six months from today, as we are of the view that fishermen community, which definitely is impacted to some extent by construction of TCB-III, cannot be made to wait too long,” the court said.
Court Questions TISS Assessment
The judges observed that the TISS report did not establish how the bridge’s construction had affected fishermen and nearby villagers. They also said the institute had exceeded its mandate by recommending compensation for the construction period and after completion, including six years of livelihood support, “without assessment of any impact on the livelihood or rehabilitation or presettlement in its true sense”.
The court further expressed concern over the proposed compensation amount. “We are surprised to note that TISS report has recommended a compensation of approximately Rs.141 crore, whereas the total cost of the project is Rs.500 crore, which is definitely disproportionate to the cost incurred in construction of TCB-III.”
The bench also noted that TISS had relied on self-declaration forms submitted by affected individuals without verifying the information against official data.
Petitions Filed by Fishing Communities
The judgment followed petitions by Mariyayi Machhimaar Sahkari Sanstha Maryadit and Koperkhairane Machhimaar Sarkari Society Maryadit, representing fishermen from Vashi, Juhu, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli and Diva.
The petitioners argued that construction had disrupted their customary fishing rights in the Thane Creek region. In May 2025, the High Court had appointed TISS to assess the damage caused by the project.
The newly constituted task force is expected to establish a more evidence-based assessment and determine suitable compensation within six months.
Source: The Free Press Journal
