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Residents and environmental activists celebrated a major success earlier this week, as the Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) announced its decision to scrap the proposed jetty project at Carter Road beach in Bandra. The project, aimed at providing an anchoring point for fishing boats, was met with strong resistance from locals concerned about environmental impact and disruption to the coastline. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) intervened, instructing PWD to remove five truckloads of stones that had been dumped without proper approvals. MMB officials confirmed that PWD had failed to obtain the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) before initiating work, ultimately leading to the project's cancellation.
Residents and activists have achieved a significant victory in their efforts to safeguard Bandra's Carter Road beach. Earlier this week, officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) stated that they had decided to cancel the project that proposed the construction of a jetty on the beach for anchoring fishing boats. Although the proposal was initially met with staunch opposition from locals and activists, the decisive move to abandon the plan came after the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) instructed the PWD to clear the five truckloads of stones that had already been dumped on the beach for the project. Advertisement
The MMB, in its communication to the fisheries department, emphasised that an NOC is mandatory for any construction activity on a beach or waterfront. The board noted that PWD had failed to secure this approval prior to the contractor unloading the stones at Carter Road beach. MMB officials had met with representatives from the PWD on-site, where they questioned the contractor's unauthorised actions.
Following MMB's directive, PWD officials confirmed that the stones would be removed and the entire project scrapped. One official remarked that the project had been undertaken in response to a request made by the fishing community.
Details provided by the PWD indicated that the plan involved constructing a quadrangle that would serve as a docking space for fishing boats during high tide. However, residents and activists opposed the idea of a permanent structure on the beach. They had instead suggested that a platform be erected on stilts, ensuring minimal impact on tidal water flow. They further highlighted that the original approval for a fish-drying platform was granted under the condition that tidal water flow would remain unobstructed. Additionally, only a one-tonne stone ramp had been permitted to enable boats to slide onto the elevated platform. An activist had previously mentioned that the PWD's jetty design did not comply with these restrictions.
The MMB stated that it had earlier declined a proposal submitted by the fisheries department on behalf of the Sortia Koli Samaj Fisheries Cooperative Society in Khar Danda, which sought a parking facility for fishing boats near the Carter Road amphitheatre. An MMB official explained that they had advised the fisheries department against proceeding with the project, pointing out that the fishermen's base was located at Khar Danda. They described the chowpatty at Carter Road as a small, residentially surrounded area unsuitable for boats due to its rocky terrain.
This outcome highlights the impact of community advocacy in safeguarding public spaces from unsustainable infrastructural projects.
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