Mumbai's Green Lung Under Pressure: Road Project Gets Green Light Through SGNP

In a move that's sure to ignite fresh debate among environmentalists and urban planners alike, Maharashtra’s State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) has finally given the green light to a contentious road project set to pass directly through the invaluable Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai. This decision, reached during a meeting on February 2, 2024, chaired by none other than Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, marks a significant moment for a project that has faced staunch opposition and multiple rejections in the past.

For those unfamiliar, the project in question is a vital 1.5-kilometer elevated stretch, often referred to as the 'Missing Link.' It's a crucial component of the larger Coastal Road network, specifically connecting the Bandra-Versova Sea Link to Dahisar. Picture this: a major infrastructure artery, aimed at easing Mumbai's notorious traffic woes, now approved to cut through one of the city's most significant green lungs. It's the kind of decision that encapsulates the constant, often difficult, balancing act between development and preserving nature.

It's not as if this approval came easily or without precedent. This very proposal, put forth by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), had been turned down not once, but twice before – first in 2018 and again in 2020. The primary sticking point, naturally, has always been the potential ecological damage to SGNP, a sprawling national park within a bustling metropolis, home to an incredible array of biodiversity, including leopards. Its role as Mumbai's green haven cannot be overstated.

So, what changed this time? Perhaps it was the significant reduction in the land area required, from an initial proposal of 10.74 hectares down to a more modest 4.71 hectares. But more importantly, the approval comes tethered to a comprehensive set of mitigation measures, designed, ostensibly, to lessen the environmental impact. These include plans to reclaim 37,000 square meters of mudflats in Gorai and cultivate new mangrove forests across 6.5 hectares, either in Gorai or Versova. Furthermore, the plan incorporates four dedicated box culverts, each a generous 5 meters wide and 5 meters high, specifically designed to allow safe passage for wildlife beneath the elevated road.

Beyond these, there are commitments to install sound barriers along the entire 1.5 km stretch, use only downward-facing lighting to minimize disturbance to nocturnal creatures, and adhere to a strict compensatory afforestation program – planting two trees for every one cut or transplanted. Regular monitoring by the BMC and the Forest Department has also been mandated. These aren't just minor adjustments; they represent a concerted effort to address the deep-seated ecological concerns.

The vote within the SBWL itself wasn't entirely unanimous, revealing the inherent tensions in such decisions. While the Chief Minister, along with Ashish Kumar Singh (Additional Chief Secretary, Forests), Virendra Tiwari (Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife), and non-official member Krishna Tiwari, voted in favor, other voices expressed reservations. Non-official members Kishor Rithe and Pooja Jadhav chose to abstain, a clear indication of their discomfort with the proposal. Dr. Satish Pande, another non-official member, notably voted against it, highlighting the persistent ecological worries.

Indeed, environmentalists are still sounding the alarm. They argue that despite the mitigation efforts, any fragmentation of a national park's habitat can have long-term, irreversible consequences for its biodiversity. The very idea of an elevated road cutting through what is essentially a critical wildlife corridor remains a deeply troubling prospect for many, who fear it sets a dangerous precedent for future development projects.

As this ambitious 'Missing Link' project moves forward, the city will undoubtedly be watching closely. It’s a stark reminder of the delicate tightrope Mumbai, and indeed many other global cities, must walk – balancing the undeniable demands of urban growth and connectivity with the crucial, non-negotiable imperative of safeguarding our natural heritage.