Bombay HC stops construction of casting yard at Juhu beach for Bandra-Versova sea link

In a setback for the Maharashtra Government, the Bombay High Court on Friday, set aside the permission granted by authorities for constructing a temporary casting yard for building the Bandra-Versova sea link at the Juhu-Koliwada beach.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar while setting aside the permission granted said, "Notwithstanding it being stated that the yard would be a temporary yard, the footprints left by the yard after the machinery brought to site is removed and temporary structures are removed on completion of the work, would be of a permanent and lasting nature adversely impacting the coastal stretch in question."

The order was passed while hearing a petition filed by activist Zoru Bathena stating that the agency which is constructing the Bandra-Versova sea link arm and is reclaiming the beach to build a casting yard for constructing the girders, does not have any permissions from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority and also is in complete violation of Environmental Norms.

As per the petition, the MSRDC is doing rampant destruction of the natural sandy beach along with mangrove cover by stopping natural flow of sea water, under the guise of the Preliminary Survey for the VBSL Project, in complete disregard to the provisions of the CRZ Notification of 2011, as well as the reservations and demarcations of the Development Plans for the city. If continued unchecked, the said construction will result in complete destruction of the natural Juhu Koliwada Beach along with the adjoining mangroves.

The bench perused the notification and held that, "The site plan of the area shows that the land allotted for the temporary yard is on the seaward side of the sandy beach. Regulation of building activity in CRZ-II, which permits building activities only on the landward side of the existing road or landward side of the existing authorised structures, is blatantly violated."

As per the petition a casting yard was proposed to be built on land ad measuring 78,392.12 sq mtrs. The plea prayed for stopping of all kind of work at the beach and also a direction to not allow the construction of casting yard at the Juhu-Koliwada beach by the MSRDC.

Flouting Norms

• The order was passed while hearing a petition filed by activist Zoru Bathena 
• It stated the agency constructing the Bandra-Versova sea link arm does not have any permissions from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management body