MUMBAI: Around 100 residents and environmental activists gathered at Samvidhan Chowk in Charkop on Friday evening to protest against the proposed Versova–Dahisar Coastal Road, warning that the project could destroy some of Mumbai’s remaining mangrove ecosystems.
Carrying placards and artwork and raising slogans of “Save Mumbai, Save Mangroves”, participants staged street plays and interacted with passers-by to highlight what they described as the environmental risks posed by the northern arm of Mumbai’s coastal road network.
Protesters said the demonstration was organised after tenders worth ₹1.9 crore were floated on March 6 for cutting mangroves along the proposed alignment.
Hindustan Times contacted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for comment. However, Vaibhav Gandhi, executive engineer in the civic body’s bridges department, responded late in the evening, leaving little time to obtain an official response.
The Mumbai Coastal Road (North), also known as the Versova–Dahisar Link Road (VDLR), is a proposed 22-km corridor estimated to cost over ₹20,000 crore. The project, being implemented by the BMC, is expected to reduce travel time between the western suburbs and Mira-Bhayander.
Environmental groups, however, say the project threatens large stretches of mangroves along Mumbai’s coastline. Estimates submitted by the civic body indicate that around 9,000 mangroves may be permanently cut for construction, while more than 45,000 could be directly affected by the project.
Participants at the protest also questioned the compensatory afforestation measures proposed by authorities. Under the project’s mitigation plan, mangrove plantations have been proposed in Bhayander, while additional compensatory afforestation is planned on more than 100 hectares of land in Chandrapur district near the Tadoba forest.
Bansari Kothari, who joined the protest, said such measures fail to address the local ecological role played by mangroves. “If the risk of flooding is here, planting trees hundreds of kilometres away cannot be the solution,” she said.
Some protesters also raised concerns about air quality and transport priorities. Young environmental activist Zidaan Castellino said the project could worsen pollution by encouraging greater reliance on private vehicles.
“Poor air quality used to be an exception in Mumbai but it is becoming the norm. If we remove our natural line of defence for a motorist-only city, we can only imagine what the future will look like,” he said.
Manan Desai, 35, a physics professor who attended the protest, questioned the economic logic of the project. “Data suggests that only a small proportion of the city earns above ₹1 lakh a month. A project funded by the taxes of the entire city should not serve a small, affluent segment,” he said.
Desai pointed out that public transport is not permitted on the coastal road. “When infrastructure funded by public money is built exclusively for motorists, it ends up benefiting barely five per cent of the population, while the majority who depend on trains and buses are ignored,” he said, adding that nearly 90% of Mumbai’s residents rely on public transport.
According to the BMC’s Environmental Impact Assessment, around 46,000 cars are expected to use the road daily. Protesters questioned whom such infrastructure would ultimately serve in a city of over 1.3 crore people.
Residents also highlighted the wider ecological importance of mangroves. Sonika Bhasin, 45, said she worried about the long-term impact on future generations. “Mangroves are vital carbon sinks. I have a seven-year-old who is already suffering because of pollution. This is a fight we are fighting for generations to come,” she said.
However, local corporator Sandhya Doshi said concerns about the project’s environmental impact were misplaced. “We have taken residents into confidence and the project will go ahead with the support of citizens,” she said.