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The Bombay High Court has cleared the removal of 208 mangrove trees to facilitate construction of an eight-lane access-controlled highway connecting the upcoming Vadhvan Port in Palghar district to NH-48, providing a significant boost to the INR 76,220 crore port project. The court observed that the project serves a larger public purpose and holds substantial economic significance. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) received approval after demonstrating compliance with environmental, coastal regulation zone and forest clearance requirements, including compensatory afforestation measures. The project proponent has undertaken the plantation of approximately 1.33 lakh mangroves across 30 hectares and deposited more than INR 4.83 crore towards compensatory afforestation. The clearance is expected to accelerate implementation of the proposed greenfield port, which is being developed near Dahanu in Palghar district.
The Bombay High Court has granted permission for the removal of mangrove patches required for the development of connectivity infrastructure linked to the Vadhvan Port Project in Maharashtra's Palghar district, paving the way for faster execution of one of the country's largest maritime infrastructure developments.
A division bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande, in an order passed on June 24, permitted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to fell 208 mangrove trees for the construction of an eight-lane access-controlled highway connecting the upcoming Vadhvan Port to NH-48.
The court observed that the project is of public importance and carries broader economic significance. It noted that the proposed highway would provide critical connectivity to Vadhvan Port, which has been identified as a nationally significant infrastructure project.
In its order, the court stated that the port is being developed under the landlord port model and has the potential to strengthen India's position in global container shipping. The bench observed that the project could contribute towards placing India among countries hosting the world's top 10 container ports.
NHAI had approached the court seeking approval in accordance with directions issued in an ongoing public interest litigation concerning mangrove protection. Under previous court orders, destruction or removal of mangroves, including for public infrastructure projects, requires prior approval from the High Court.
During the proceedings, NHAI informed the court that all statutory approvals required for the project had been obtained. These included environmental clearances, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) approvals and forest clearances. The authority also demonstrated compliance with compensatory afforestation obligations mandated under environmental regulations.
According to the court order, the project proponent has undertaken the plantation of approximately 1.33 lakh mangroves over 30 hectares of land as part of compensatory measures. In addition, more than INR 4.83 crore has been deposited towards mangrove compensatory afforestation, alongside other payments stipulated under forest clearance conditions.
Following the court's approval, Vadhvan Port Project Limited (VVPL) stated that several pending issues affecting project implementation have now been addressed, enabling the project to move forward more rapidly.
Gaurav Dayal, Chairman and Managing Director of VVPL, stated that the latest approvals, combined with progress across multiple workstreams, mark the beginning of a new phase in the project's development. He said the advances in approvals, infrastructure planning and stakeholder coordination have strengthened confidence in achieving the targeted project timeline.
The Vadhvan Port project is being developed near Dahanu in Palghar district through a special purpose vehicle formed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and the Maharashtra Maritime Board.
Planned as an all-weather greenfield port, the development will include nine container terminals, each measuring 1,000 metres in length, four multipurpose berths including a coastal berth, four liquid cargo berths, a roll-on/roll-off berth and a dedicated Coast Guard berth.
The project involves reclamation of approximately 1,448 hectares of sea area and the construction of a 10.14-kilometre offshore breakwater, along with extensive cargo handling and storage infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the INR 76,220 crore project in August 2024. Upon completion, Vadhvan Port is expected to become one of India's largest maritime infrastructure assets and is projected to rank among the world's leading container ports by capacity.
Source - PTI
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