Mangroves vs Mumbai Coastal Road: Development at What Cost?
Dr. Girish Salgaonkar, a fisher from Charkop, remembers a time when people used to grow vegetables in Kandivali. He laments the loss of their traditional way of life, catalyzed by land reclamation and the destruction of mangroves. Now, with the construction of the coastal road, the threat of losing more mangroves has returned.
In March, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a public notice to change the land use of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas from Goregaon to Dahisar for Phase 2 of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. They invited public feedback and held a meeting on May 23 to address suggestions and objections.
An official from the BMC’s Development Plan Department explained that the Development Plan 2034 (DP) shows the coastal road up to Goregaon. To build it up to Dahisar, the BMC must modify the plan. Hence, the public notice. But this also means they will chop swathes of mangroves to make way for it. Some reports estimate that up to 9,000 mangroves may be cut. However, a Bridge Department official told Citizen Matters that the exact number is not yet confirmed.
Every successive government has touted the “sons of the soil” narrative. It is ironic that the concerns of Mumbai’s earliest inhabitants, the Kolis, fall on deaf ears. The cutting of mangroves and the construction of the coastal road have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of the Kolis of Charkop. Along with the sea, creeks and mangroves are also sources of fish. Residents of Charkop rely on the Manori Creek for their fishing needs, but the construction will make access to it more difficult, says Dr. Girish.
Moreover, certain varieties of crabs and fish are only available in the creeks. The Kolis catch them using small boats. Dr. Girish explains, “These small boats have to be dragged through waist-deep mud by four to five people to reach the creek. When they put up stilts for the coastal road, the density of the mud will increase and come up to the neck.” Dhiraj Bhandari, a fisherman from Charkop fishing village, reiterates this.
The BMC’s solution to this is compensation for loss of livelihood. But the fisherfolk Citizen Matters spoke to were clear that compensation is not the solution. It is not just their livelihood that is under threat, but also their traditional way of life. Dhiraj, who took me through the winding roads of the Charkop gaothan to see the spot where the tunnel for the coastal road is expected to come up, says, “We used to do farming here in the non-monsoon months. Our livelihood was tied to the cycles of nature. But that has changed now.”
The Charkop fishing community is angry with the BMC for seeking their inputs, which are technically sound, but not considering them seriously. Dr. Girish emphasizes the need to involve local residents in decisions before undertaking such large-scale projects. “The people whose livelihoods are affected must be taken into consideration. Instead, they just keep imposing on us,” he adds.
He believes that the BMC also did not take the concerns of people at the Worli and Sion koliwadas seriously when they built Phase 1 of the coastal road. Instead of learning from those experiences, the powers that be are repeating their mistakes. He gives the example of a certain kind of shrimp, which is found only on the rocks along the seashore. They sell at around Rs. 1,800 per kg. This price ensured a good living for the fishing community there without relying on another job, but not anymore.
Nayna Meher, a fisherwoman, had told Citizen Matters last year that her husband, who would fish at Marine Lines and Charni Road, has lost access to that area due to the construction of the coastal road. In fact, this loss of access has forced many in the community to sell their boats and seek other employment. This is likely to happen to the fishing community in Charkop too.
Concerns about the impact of dredging on marine life were also ignored in the earlier construction phases, says Dr. Girish. A certain variety of fish lays their eggs amongst the rocks on the shore, and dredging vibrations scare them away. This poses a threat to marine life and a blow to their livelihood.
Sector 8 Charkop, once a green haven, is now at risk of becoming a grey jungle. The construction of the coastal road threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and the traditional way of life of the local fishing community. The project’s proponents argue that it will ease traffic congestion and boost the city’s economy, but the environmental and social costs are significant.
