Bombay high court (File Photo)

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday allowed petitions made by MMRDA, MSRDC and Fisheries Department which sought permission to cut mangroves for projects including the construction of an elevated corridor— a flyover and Link Road from Airoli bridge to Thane Belapur Road in Thane.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) along with the Fisheries Department had petitioned the HC agaisnt the Centre to be allowed to proceed with the infrastructure projects which their lawyers senior counsel Milind Sathe and advocate Saket Mone were in public interest to ease traffic and improve connectivity.

The road in the MMRDA project and petition has a length of 2.575km and is a 3+3 lane. It passes through mangroves situated on the Eastern Bank of the Thane Creek.

MMRDA sought permission in two projects. It said “only 63 mangroves are getting affected,” in one project and in the other — proposed construction of major bridge across Thane Creek (TCB-III) on Sion Panvel Road at Village Vashi and Turbhe —will involve cutting 430 mangroves.

The MMRDA said all the clearances for the project were in place including a final forests clearance granted on June 9, 2019. It said money for afforestation was also paid a year ago on December 31, 2018 to the forest department.

An approval was granted by the nodal forest officer on April 9, 2018 and the permission is sought from the HC in keeping with earlier court order for it prior approval before being given a nod to cut mangroves in important public projects.

Almost three hectares land over which the project is being constructed, was situated in CRZ-I, and it included almost one hectare of area covered by mangroves.

The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management authority (MCZMA) had granted CRZ recommendations in August, 2015 said MMRDA.

The State EIA Authority granted Environment Clearance dated in July, 2017, in accordance with EIA Notification 2006 and CRZ Notification 2011, said its petition.

Besides, principal chief conservator of forests, (Mangroves Cell) had given his recommendation in March 2018.

The MMRDA said one hectare of land elsewhere which is degraded forest land in village Manori has been granted for “compulsory afforestation.”

