Cuffe Parade Residents to Protest Against Coastal Encroachment on March 15

The Cuffe Parade Residents Association (CPRA) has called for a protest on Sunday, March 15, at Bayview Marina against coastal encroachment, unwarranted land reclamation, mangrove destruction, illegal jetty construction, and multi-storied slums taking over the coastline near Machimar Nagar 4 and 5 in Cuffe Parade.

Residents Allege Soil-Erosion Bund is Unnecessary Reclamation

The CRPA has written to authorities, including the Maharashtra Maritime Board, Mumbai City Collector, and MMRDA Commissioner, opposing the ongoing construction of a purported soil-erosion bund in the sea behind Bay View Marina Garden and outside Machimar Nagar Nos. 4 and 5. They highlight that there is no soil-erosion and the stretch situated on Plot Nos. 106, 107, 108, and 109 of Backbay Reclamation Nos. III and IV is already reclaimed land upon which existing settlements have developed.

“Our complaints have yielded no results. Thus, the residents of Cuffe Parade will unite to protest against further illegal land reclamation and encroachment. We demand that only tetrapods be installed to protect the coast, and not any protection wall that requires permanent land reclamation,” said Dr Laura Dsouza, president of CPRA.

Bund Will Lead to Encroachments Like Budhwar Park, Say Residents

A resident of Cuffe Parade, Ramesh Narayan, said, “Every part of the land reclaimed, no efforts are taken to stop the encroachments. We are not against the protection of the slum dwellers from the fury of the sea, but to prevent seawaves entering, tetrapods can be installed, for which a bund is not required. A bund is nothing less than a road, thus encroachments and further construction on that CRZ land is difficult to stop.”

The residents of Cuffe Parade also allege that this is a modus operandi, where land is encroached on the guise of a sea protection wall, and in the future, permanent structures come up, similar to the Budhwar Park stretch.

Shiv Sena UBT leader, MLA Aaditya Thackeray, has also raised this issue. He tweeted, “The MOEFCC needs to take note of this illegal dumping in Cuffe Parade. This is alarming. This has to stop.”