HC clears the way for replacing Tata Power transmission towers

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has cleared the way for Tata Power Company’s two 110KV transmission lines by allowing the company to replace 20 transmission towers through Vashi and Waghivali creeks and mangrove areas as the towers which were erected over 70 years ago and have corroded and weakened over time.

Tata Power Company had approached the high court stating that it supplies power to the railways, refineries, textile mills in the city, the port, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and other vital installations including industrial, commercial and domestic consumers for which it has set up electric power generation plants at various locations in and around the city.

The company proposed to replace 20 towers lying in Vashi and Waghivali creeks and in the mangrove areas forming part of their Khopoli – Mankhurd and Khopoli – Chembur 110 kV transmission lines. Despite the regular maintenance of these decrepit towers, according to the company, suffered from the risk of collapsing amongst several other hazards.

Since this project is in a mangrove area, the company had to approach the high court for permission as the high court in September 2018 directed that any project involving mangroves would require its prior approval.

Tata Power further stated that the project would benefit the public at large as it aims at providing a smooth supply of electricity to Mumbai and its surrounding areas for residential, commercial and industrial purposes and the replacement of transmission towers was vitally critical and of immense public purpose and public interest.

A division bench of justice AS Chandurkar and justice Jitendra Jain allowed the company to go ahead with the work after noticing that the company had already obtained requisite permission from Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), Coastal Regulation Zone clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and forest department. Besides, the company has also deposited an amount of ₹39.32 lakh with the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary as 2% of the project cost.

But the court’s permission is subject to the company submitting an affidavit to scrupulously comply with all the conditions laid down by these authorities.