Mangrove Cutting in Mumbai Raises Alarm; Citizens Demand Stronger Safeguards

Fresh concerns have emerged over the cutting of mangroves in Mumbai, with environmental experts warning that the loss of these coastal forests could weaken the city's natural protection against flooding, coastal erosion and climate-related risks.

Social activist and advocate Rakesh Singh from RKS Associate raised alarm over the continued destruction of mangroves without meaningful compensatory plantation or restoration efforts. According to Singh, mangroves play a crucial role in protecting Mumbai's coastline and should be treated as essential ecological infrastructure rather than expendable land for development projects.

He said the repeated removal of mangroves reflects gaps in environmental governance and has contributed to growing public distrust over large infrastructure projects. The controversy surrounding development works in the Aarey Forest, he noted, has already heightened concerns among residents about the environmental cost of urban expansion.

"Development should not come at the cost of ecological destruction," Rakesh Kumar Singh said, urging authorities to ensure transparent approval processes and strict adherence to environmental regulations.

Rakesh Kumar Singh stressed that policymakers must adopt a science-based and region-specific approach to urban development. Mangrove areas, he suggested, should be classified as legally protected "no-go" zones with zero tolerance for diversion or destruction.

Singh also called for stronger monitoring mechanisms, including satellite-based tracking, public dashboards and independent environmental audits to ensure transparency in the execution of infrastructure projects. Compensatory plantation, he said, must be local, time-bound and assessed based on the survival of trees rather than simply the number planted.

Highlighting the importance of public involvement, Rakesh Kumar Singh urged authorities to make citizen participation a meaningful part of environmental decision-making. Public consultations, he said, should go beyond formalities and allow residents to genuinely influence planning processes.

With climate risks increasing, Rakesh Kumar Singh warned that Mumbai cannot afford short-term development gains at the expense of long-term environmental stability. He emphasised that climate resilience must remain a central priority in the city's future planning and infrastructure policies.