A Division Bench of judges comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar of the Bombay High Court have given the green signal to axe 2,612 mangroves for the fifth and sixth lines between Borivali and Virar stations of the Western Railway in Mumbai saying the route will ease traffic woes, reduce emissions, and save fuel.
The order passed on August 30, 2024, was made available on Thursday (September 5, 2024). The court also mandated that 7,823 mangroves be replanted to balance and compensate for the ecological damage.
In the judgement, the Bench observed, “The railway system is an eco-friendly mode of mass transportation and one of the most efficient in the world. The construction of these lines would reduce emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and conserve precious fuel. No viable alternatives were available since the proposed lines are adjacent to existing tracks, making the selected alignment the most suitable from technical, economic, and functional perspectives.”
Western Railways had sought the High Court’s permission to axe the mangroves that come on the way of the project. The fifth and sixth railway lines between Borivali and Virar are being constructed under Phase III-A of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project at a cost of ₹2,184 crore. The project is expected to be completed by December 2027.
Published - September 06, 2024 11:02 am IST
