11 February,2025 04:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Bombay High Court has allowed the Adani Group to cut 209 mangroves for the construction of a high-voltage transmission line proposed to increase electricity supply in Mumbai on the grounds that it was a project of public importance, news agency PTI reported.
The electricity transmission line construction project is critical for Mumbai as the existing capacity of the transmission corridor is not sufficient to carry any further power into the city, a division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre said in its order on February 6.
The court allowed a petition filed by Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Limited, seeking permission to cut the 209 mangroves located near Vasai creek for setting up a High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link between two of its transmission substations, PTI reported.
The project involves an 80-kilometre stretch, of which 30 km would be overhead transmission lines while the remaining 50 km would be underground cable in the mangrove area. The HVDC lines would pass through Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts.
As per the petitioner company, only one kilometre of the HVDC passes through the mangrove areas, PTI reported.
The bench stated in its order that a balance must be struck between the need for sustainable development and the requirement to maintain the environment.
"The HVDC project would enable additional power to be supplied to Mumbai and suburbs and shall meet the ever increasing energy demands of the city," the court said.
"Considering the public importance of the proposed project, which shall benefit the electricity consumers in the city of Mumbai and its suburbs and which will lead to a potential growth, we deem it appropriate to confer the desired permission," it further observed.
As per a 2018 order of the high court, there exists a "total freeze" on the destruction of mangroves across the state. As per the order, it is mandatory to seek permission from the HC each time an authority wishes to fell mangroves for any public project.
The court noted that as per the transmission license, Adani was required to commission the project by March, and has received all necessary statutory permissions to cut the mangroves.
(With PTI inputs)
