Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road Is 'Ecological Suicide, Not Progress': Mumbai Activist Warns CM, BMC, MoEF On Mangrove Destruction

On the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, a Mumbai-based green activist wrote to the chief minister, civic chief and the environment ministry raising deep concerns regarding the Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road project, which proposes to destroy 9,000 mangrove trees. The activist alleged that the project violates coastal regulation zone norms as well as climate and ecological goals.

On July 1, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEF&CC) announced the stage-1 approval of mangrove diversion for the proposed Versova–Dahisar Coastal Road project. The greens as well as other concerned citizens have been opposing the project, built at the cost of Rs16,621 crores, as it is slated to destroy over 9,000 mangrove trees across 8.24 hectares permanently, and disturb another 36,000 mangroves across 68.55 hectares temporarily.

On May 23, green activists had unanimously opposed the project at the public hearing organised by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The participants had demanded another public meeting as they accused civic officials of concluding the hearing without listening to everyone’s pleas.

While the civic body did not fulfil the demand, Bandra-based green activist Natasha Perreira wrote to the CM, BMC chief and MoEF&CC officials alleging that the project threatens to become an ecological misstep with irreversible consequences for Mumbai’s coast, climate, and communities in multiple ways.

In a long explanatory note, Pereira alleged that the project’s claim of carbon neutrality is misleading as BMC is releasing locked carbon into the atmosphere by destroying 9,000 mangroves. She added that the reduced travel time and fuel savings may sound appealing, but they cannot compensate for the massive carbon release caused by mangrove destruction.

“Mangroves protect the coast from sea-level rise, cyclones, and storm surges, all of which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Their deep root systems prevent erosion, help stabilise the land, and are critical to fisherfolk livelihoods and Mumbai’s food chain. With the Arabian Sea rising and rain intensity increasing, removing these barriers is nothing short of suicidal urban planning,” read the letter.

The activist alleged that the ecological damage is permanent in at least 8.24 hectares, and significant even where disturbance is temporary as mangrove ecosystems are complex, interlinked webs of biodiversity. She claimed that past compensatory afforestation efforts across India show low sapling survival rates, unsuitable soil conditions, and failure to regenerate lost ecosystems. 

She also raised concerns about the shrinking public transport, alleging that the road will be built for the privileged private car users, who constitute less than 2% of Mumbai’s daily commuters. “This is not smart or inclusive urban planning but public disinvestment in sustainable transport, masked by expensive engineering,” read the letter.

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On the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, the green activist appealed to immediately halt the Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road project and cancel approvals for the destruction of 9,000 mangroves to preserve the ecological integrity of Mumbai’s western coastline. She also urged the authorities to strengthen public transport, especially by reviving the BEST fleet and invest in climate-positive solutions that prioritize biodiversity, people, and equity.

“What Mumbai needs today is climate resilience, not concrete shortcuts. Mumbai cannot afford ecological suicide in the name of progress. The 60 km concrete corridor may ease traffic temporarily, but it will lock Mumbai into decades of coastal vulnerability, embankment erosion, and biodiversity collapse. Destroying mangroves is self-sabotage. Infrastructure built on environmental destruction is not development, but debt against the future,” added Pereira.