MCZMA Approves Hoardings on Coastal Road

13 Jan 2025 CW Team

The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has granted approval for hoardings at three specific locations along Mumbai’s coastal road, despite strong opposition from local residents, activists, and political groups. The hoardings will be installed at Tata Garden, Amazon Garden, and Lala Lajpatrai Garden, generating an estimated Rs 100 million monthly revenue for the BMC.

The MCZMA approval came with conditions, including that the hoardings must be placed on the landward side of the road or existing structures. The BMC is tasked with ensuring adherence to these guidelines.

However, environmental activists, including Godfrey Pimenta of the WatchDog Foundation, have urged the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to intervene. Pimenta has written to MoEF requesting a stay on the approval to prevent potential violations of environmental regulations.

Nicholas Almeida, another activist, pointed out that the approval violates a specific condition in the Environmental Clearance for the Coastal Road Project, which prohibits the use of reclaimed land for commercial purposes. However, senior civic officials argued that no Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules were breached, as the hoardings are not placed on the coastal road itself.

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