Bombay HC quashes Coastal Regulation Zone permission for southern stretch

Mumbai: Mumbai’s ambitious ‘Coastal Road Project’ has hit another roadblock as Bombay High Court has set aside the Coastal Regulation Zone Clearance granted by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in May 2017, for the southern stretch of the project.

The Indian Express quoted a bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nadrajogand Justice N M Jamdar, “We accordingly hold that there is a lack of proper scientific study and this has been overlooked by MCZMA(Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority), EIA (Environmental Assessment Report) and MoEF warranting the approval granted by MCZMA on 4th January 2017, the approval granted by EAC on 17th March 2017 and the final approval granted by MoEF on 11th May, 2017 are liable to be quashed and set aside.”

The petition was filed by Shweta Wagh, Mumbai-based architect and eight other petitioners, questioning the notification of CRZ to the extent that it allows for land reclamation for roads on reclaimed surfaces.

The petition also challenges the decision of BMC to implement the coastal road project and to quash and set aside the CRZ Clearance dated May 11, 2017.

The project endeavours to connect Marine Drive in south Mumbai to Borivali in the north.

The petition claims the coastal road and the corresponding construction work have breached the environmental laws.

Earlier, the Supreme Court modified the order of the Bombay High Court order and allowed the contractors of the project to resume work at the existing location. The apex court said that no new work can be carried out in the area.