Supreme Court greenlights Mumbai's coastal road despite 45,000 mangrove losses

The Supreme Court has upheld a Bombay High Court ruling that allows the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cut over 45,000 mangrove trees for the Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project. The decision came after an NGO challenged the environmental clearance, arguing that the felling would harm local ecosystems.

The court acknowledged the project's public benefits but imposed strict conditions on compensatory measures and long-term monitoring.

The case began when NGO Vanashakti contested the High Court's approval, claiming BMC had misused an earlier afforestation plan to justify the tree removal. Originally, the project's environmental clearance had marked 1,877 mangroves for felling to build the road directly. However, the total number later rose to over 45,000.

During hearings, the petitioner stressed the ecological role of mangroves, urging the court to reconsider the scale of tree removal. Meanwhile, the Solicitor General argued that the road would ease traffic, cut travel times, and reduce carbon emissions by lowering congestion. The Supreme Court ultimately declined to overturn the High Court's order. It noted that safeguards—such as compensatory afforestation and a 10-year restoration plan—were already in place. The judges also highlighted the project's potential to decongest Mumbai's western highway, benefiting the public. As part of its ruling, the court ordered BMC to submit yearly progress reports to the Bombay High Court. These reports must detail the extent of compensatory planting and mangrove restoration efforts.

The coastal road project will now proceed under the High Court's conditions, including a decade of mandatory afforestation updates. BMC must comply with annual reporting requirements to ensure the replacement of lost mangroves.

The decision maintains the balance between infrastructure development and environmental protection, with oversight mechanisms to track the project's ecological impact.