Bombay High Court permits BMC to cut over 1,200 mangroves for Versova-Madh Island bridge
The Bombay High Court has authorized the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to remove 1,237 mangroves to facilitate the construction of a bridge between Versova and Madh Island. The project aims to significantly reduce travel distance and congestion, with the court mandating the compensatory planting of 39,000 mangroves.
Why it matters
This decision balances critical urban infrastructure development against environmental conservation requirements in a major metropolitan area.
The Bombay High Court has permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cut 1,237 mangroves to build a bridge that connects Versova and Madh Island in the western suburbs of Mumbai.
The bridge is expected to reduce the distance of travel between Versova and Madh Island from 22 km to 1.5 km.
The court on September 17, 2026, set conditions including the plantation of 39,000 mangroves over 9 hectares, monitoring for 10 years, deposit of ₹1.42 crore, and an undertaking. The order came from a Bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna.
The Bench held that the project is for infrastructure and for residents, stating that is not for a particular company.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in