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The Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice NM Jamdar of the Bombay High Court on 16/07/2019 allowed the petitions challenging the construction of the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) Coastal Road Project worth Rs. 14,000 crore. A PIL was challenged by environmental activists, residents and the fishing community from Worli Koliwada challenging the BMC's Coastal Road Project, which is to connect South Mumbai's Marine Drive area to Kandivali in North Mumbai. contended that the project was not given environmental clearance and that it will damage the coastal ecosystem, including the rare species of corals under the sea. Also, argued that the project lacks several clearances and permissions including those from the MoEFFCC, the Maharashtra State Coastal Zone Management Authority, and the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee. He emphasized that public hearings required to be held before environmental clearances are granted were not conducted also, the recommendations by the Environmental Assessment Committee were cleared within a day without any application of mind. The state and the BMC argued that no environmental clearance was required for the South Coastal Road, as it is a linear road and not an area development project. The BMC also asserted that the project has got CRZ permissions. Also, the Coastal Road project is aimed at resolving the issue of traffic congestion in Mumbai and that millions of citizens were in support of it. In April, the Bombay High Court has restrained the BMC from carrying out any further work on the project. On appeal to the Supreme Court, the court allowed the corporation to carry out existing work but prohibited it from carrying out any new work. It had also directed the Bombay High Court to take up the matter for final hearing. The bench has ordered to set aside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance, stating that environmental clearance is required.
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