Bombay HC quashes sealink permissions

Mumbai: Activists had reason to cheer on Friday as the Bombay high court quashed all the permissions given to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to raise a casting yard at Juhu Koliwada beach. The court observed that the construction work would impact the coastal area and the natural site should be protected.

The MSRDC had proposed the construction of a casting yard for the Versova-Bandra Sealink on this beach. A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N.M. Jamdar was hearing a petition filed by Mumbai-based activist Zoru Bhathena, who claimed that the proposed construction is illegal and pleaded in court that the casting yard work should be stopped.

The permission for erecting the yard at the beach was given by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Zone (MCZMA) after getting approval with respect to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) by the Union environment ministry.

The court stated, “The permission granted by the authorities concerned is illegal. The permissions granted by the MCZMA is quashed and set aside.”

It further observed that even though the yard would be temporary and the machinery used there would be withdrawn from the site after the work, there is possibility of a permanent damage to the coastal stretch.

The court in its order noted that the land allotted for the temporary yard is on the seaward side of the sandy beach.

“Notwithstanding it being stated that the yard would be a temporary yard, the footprints left by the yard after the machinery brought to site is removed and temporary structures are removed on completion of the work, would be of a permanent and lasting nature, adversely impacting the coastal stretch in question,” the order stated.

The petition also highlighted that the MSRDC has been dumping mud in the area reclaimed from the beach, which is blocking the flow of tidal water towards mangroves at the site. The work has affected around 7.9 hectares of the beach site.