Palm Beach service road gets HC nod, work to begin soon

NAVI MUMBAI: The long-delayed plan to build a service road along Palm Beach Road has received a major push with the Bombay High Court clearing the project, dismissing environmental objections. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has now initiated the tendering process, with work expected to start soon.

The 610-metre-long, 8.5-metre-wide road, complete with a footpath and drainage, will run along the creek side from T S Chanakya junction to Plot 7 in Nerul’s Sector 58, connecting two existing service road stretches. The project, located in a CRZ-II zone and within 50 metres of a mangrove buffer, had faced opposition from environmental activists.

In 2022, NMMC sought HC permission due to the area’s proximity to mangroves. A resident had filed a contempt petition alleging unauthorised work and potential ecological damage. However, the civic body refuted the charges, stressing that the road was in public interest and critical for handling increasing traffic, especially ahead of the Navi Mumbai airport’s launch.

A division bench led by chief justice Alok Aradhe ruled in favour of NMMC, stating no mangrove trees would be cut and that the site does not fall in any eco-sensitive or mangrove zone. Approvals from the MCZMA, SEIAA, and the Forest Department have also been secured.

“The road has long been needed and will ease growing traffic,” an NMMC official said.

Environmentalists, however, remain unconvinced. Activist Sunil Agarwal warned the road would increase speeding and endanger pedestrians, while Aba Ranware argued that the project could trigger unsustainable development and biodiversity loss along the creek.

Despite the concerns, NMMC maintains that all environmental safeguards will be followed and that the project will benefit the public.