Supreme Court Allows Mangrove Felling For Versova-Bhayandar Road

28 Mar 2026 CW Team

The Court observed that the High Court had required compensatory afforestation and other measures intended to offset environmental loss and that the project would have a significant and beneficial impact on the general public by decongesting the western highway. The bench concluded that these safeguards and the projected public advantages justified declining to intervene at this stage. The decision rejected an application for an interim stay while preserving judicial oversight through the conditions already imposed.

The High Court's permission was made conditional on the BMC filing annual status reports for 10 years detailing progress on mangrove restoration and compensatory plantation, and the Supreme Court directed the civic body to submit those reports before the Bombay High Court. The requirement for continued reporting is designed to enable monitoring of restoration efforts and to ensure compliance with the conditions attached to clearance. Officials will be expected to provide transparent updates on implementation as the project advances.

The ruling was delivered while the bench considered a petition filed by environmental organisation Vanashakti challenging the High Court order. Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh, appearing for the organisation, contended that the council had secured approval by repurposing a prior afforestation effort and cited satellite imagery from October 2025 as support for that contention. The case will proceed with the stipulated reporting framework governing progress and restoration activities.

The Supreme Court of India declined to stay an order of the Bombay High Court that permits the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to fell over 45,000 mangrove trees for the proposed Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi upheld the High Court's decision on the basis that adequate protective conditions have been imposed. The order preserves the High Court's permission of 12 December 2025 while allowing the civic authority to proceed under the stipulated safeguards. The Court observed that the High Court had required compensatory afforestation and other measures intended to offset environmental loss and that the project would have a significant and beneficial impact on the general public by decongesting the western highway. The bench concluded that these safeguards and the projected public advantages justified declining to intervene at this stage. The decision rejected an application for an interim stay while preserving judicial oversight through the conditions already imposed. The High Court's permission was made conditional on the BMC filing annual status reports for 10 years detailing progress on mangrove restoration and compensatory plantation, and the Supreme Court directed the civic body to submit those reports before the Bombay High Court. The requirement for continued reporting is designed to enable monitoring of restoration efforts and to ensure compliance with the conditions attached to clearance. Officials will be expected to provide transparent updates on implementation as the project advances. The ruling was delivered while the bench considered a petition filed by environmental organisation Vanashakti challenging the High Court order. Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh, appearing for the organisation, contended that the council had secured approval by repurposing a prior afforestation effort and cited satellite imagery from October 2025 as support for that contention. The case will proceed with the stipulated reporting framework governing progress and restoration activities.

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