Dr Girish Salgaonkar, a fisher from Charkop, remembers a time when people used to grow vegetables in Kandivali. He rues the loss of their traditional way of life, catalysed 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.

Sons of the soil?

Every successive government has touted the “sons of the soil” narrative. So, 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.  

Read more: Are Mumbaikars prepared for the environmental impact of new coastal projects?

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.”

Concerns of residents ignored

The Charkop fishing community is angry with the BMC for seeking their inputs, which are technically sound, but not considering them seriously. Dr Girish emphasises 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.

Read more: Ferry wharf expansion: Unaware fishers worry about livelihoods

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: green haven to grey jungle?

Charkop resident and activist Mili Shetty recalls discovering the BMC’s plan to cut down trees in Sector 8 through notices stuck on the trees. When members of the Sector 8 Vikas Samiti questioned the BMC, they found out that the coastal road was coming to their door, literally.

Residents say that even during the deluge of 2005, their vicinity remained protected by the mangroves facing their building. “We have 136 hectares of mangroves all around,” says Mili. The wall between the mangroves and the road, as well as the mangroves themselves, will go to make way for the coastal road, she adds.

Now, they are worried that during a heavy downpour, water will rush into their buildings. Moreover, there are concerns that the coastal road construction will lead to noise pollution and pose health hazards.

Read more: Mumbai floods once again. Will BMC’s climate budget help?

Privacy concerns

Residents are also apprehensive that the coastal road will come up to the third floor of the buildings in Sector 8, blocking their view and intruding on their privacy. An official from the Bridge Department dismissed this concern, saying that the increase in real estate prices from the project will make up for this inconvenience.

Mili recounts that during one meeting, the BMC stated only thirty feet of road would remain accessible from their compound wall. The road on the other side of the median and the mangrove tract will be lost to the coastal road. She adds, “Fire and ambulance services will find it difficult to come in easily.”

BMC officials concede that Sector 8 will lose a portion of the road. But, they assert that residents will still get a road measuring ten metres. This will leave enough space for three car lanes.

Concerns of environmentalists

Environmentalists like Debi Goenka, who attended the public meeting, have simple expectations. They want a discussion on the project and the best options to go about it. But, the overall sentiment is that asking for suggestions and objections and holding a public meeting is a formality.

Neither the Detailed Project Report (DPR) nor the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report were made available to the public before the meeting. Mili has filed an RTI application to access the EIA report. The Bridge Department officials told Citizen Matters that they would upload the report in the BMC portal by July.

The effectiveness of mangroves as a nature-based solution to tackle climate change is well studied and documented. In fact, according to researchers, if a monetary value were to be assigned to this service provided by mangroves, it would be estimated at $ 1,94.000 per hectare annually. The efficacy of mangroves as a carbon sink is so high that a study shows that mangroves may be the world’s most carbon-rich forests, trapping four times as much carbon as rainforests.

The Bridge Department of the BMC has stated that it will plant an equivalent number of mangroves elsewhere in the MMR. However, the ecological loss caused by the destruction of mangroves for the coastal road is irreplaceable. Citizen activist Natasha Pereira says, “That doesn’t make sense. The main function of the mangroves is to protect the nearby areas from floods.” Debi also questions why the modified DP does not reflect exactly where the mangroves would be replanted.

Natasha echoes the sentiments of the affected parties. She says, “Whom is the coastal road benefiting?” Across the board, people we spoke to expressed the wish that the city would have a more robust public transport system, rather than infrastructure projects benefiting car owners.

Not satisfied with the answers provided at the public meeting, citizens have asked the BMC for another meeting. It remains to be seen how receptive the BMC is to the needs of Mumbaikars.

Also read:

• Livelihoods under severe stress as climate change impacts Mumbai’s dried fish sector
• Environmental movements need more money, bandwidth and courage, says environmentalist
• Lasting heat: How is the Urban Heat Island effect impacting Mumbaikars?