CIDCO plans coastal highway linking MTHL and Navi Mumbai intl airport

The Navi Mumbai town planning authority, City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), announced their plan to construct a coastal highway from Amra Marg to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to ensure seamless connectivity to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, set to be operational by December 2024. According to Kailash Shinde, the Joint Managing Director of CIDCO, the project, expected to take 24 months to complete, will span seven kilometres, linking the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) to the upcoming airport. The construction of this coastal highway, estimated to cost over Rs 7 billion, is a pivotal step in enhancing transportation infrastructure. The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) sanctioned the coastal highway project during their meeting on August 10, 2023, and the minutes of this meeting were made public last week. However, this initiative comes at a cost ? it will entail the removal of 3,728 mangroves and 196 trees, raising concerns about environmental impact. On August 9, 2019, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority issued a letter granting Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the project. Subsequently, CIDCO sought approval from the Mumbai High Court for the removal of mangroves, a necessary step to proceed with the project.