The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a clutch of petitions seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order setting aside the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance granted to Mumbai civic body’s coastal road project. The court will hear the matter on August 20, reported Bar and Bench.
The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Larsen & Toubro and HCC HDC JV have filed the appeal. The top court sought a response from fishermen’s association, activists and residents who had challenged the project in the High Court. The petitioners had claimed that the reclamation work undertaken for the project was illegal and would alter coastal biodiversity and traditional ecological practices.
“Notice on interim relief,” said the bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta. “The matter to be heard on August 20.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, pointed out that the CRZ clearance was granted on the undisputed land, reported PTI.
The High Court’s July 16 ruling means the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cannot continue work on the Rs 14,000-crore project. The coastal road project proposes to improve the connectivity between Marine Drive in south Mumbai and Borivali in north Mumbai and decongest the western express highway and arterial roads.
On July 1, the Bombay High Court had reserved judgment on a batch of petitions which sought to quash the decision of the civic body to implement the project and the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance granted for the project in May 2017 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
In April, the Bombay High Court had restrained the Mumbai civic body from carrying out any further work on the project. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation then filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.
In May, the Supreme 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.
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