Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Dileep B. Nevatia Vs Union of India & Others dated 09/10/2020.

This appeal was filed against the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Clearance January 25, 2016 granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) in favour of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) under the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EP Act). It was said that the MTHL project would gravely impact Mumbai and Navi Mumbai coastal ecology. The applicant, Dileep B. Nevatia said that the project was approved in violation of the EP Act, the EP Rules, 1986, the EIA Notification, 2006 and the CRZ, Notification 2011.

The project proposed in the year 1992 involved construction of a bridge between Sewri to Nhava, connecting the island city of Mumbai with the southern part of the mainland.

The NGT dismissed the application and said that all requisite safeguards had been incorporated in the CRZ clearance. The project proponent had also filed an affidavit September 19, 2020 undertaking to take all mitigation measures and to comply with all the environmental norms.