SC’s no to plea against Bombay HC order on removal of mangroves

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to interfere with the Bombay High Court order, which permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove over 45,000 mangroves for the Versova-Bhayander road project in North Mumbai.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said the proposed road will have a “significant and beneficial impact” on the general public as it will decongest the western highway.

The apex court directed the BMC to submit annual reports to the High Court giving details of the extent of compensatory afforestation and the restoration of mangroves.

Senior advocate Chander Uday Singh, appearing for NGO Vanashakti, argued that the BMC took the High Court’s permission by showing an earlier afforestation.

He claimed that there are satellite images from October 2025, two months before the High Court’s order, which prove this fact.

Refuting the allegations, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the BMC, submitted that the construction of the road will reduce travel time and traffic congestion. The top court was hearing a plea filed by the NGO challenging the High Court’s order passed on December 12, 2025.

While approximately 60,000 mangroves fall in the influence zone of the Mumbai Coastal Road (North) project, around 45,000 are being impacted.

Of these, around 9,000 mangroves will be permanently cut.

The infrastructure project, estimated to cost the corporation over Rs 20,000 crore, will pass through an alignment area of 103 hectares.