The Bombay High Court has allowed the Adani Group to cut 209 mangroves for a high voltage transmission line vital for enhancing Mumbai’s electricity supply. While acknowledging environmental concerns, the court emphasized the project’s public significance, mandating completion by March 2025. The line will span 80 kilometers, incorporating overhead and underground sections.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has granted permission to the Adani Group to cut 209 mangroves for the construction of a high voltage transmission line, citing the project’s public importance. The transmission line is crucial to boosting electricity supply in Mumbai and its suburbs, where the current infrastructure is insufficient.
A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre passed the order on February 6, emphasizing the need for balancing sustainable development with environmental preservation. The court acknowledged that the electricity corridor’s capacity must be expanded to meet Mumbai’s growing power demands.
“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 stated in its order.
The petition was filed by Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Limited, which sought permission to cut 209 mangroves near Vasai Creek for setting up a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link between two transmission substations.
The project covers an 80-kilometre stretch, where:
- 30 km will have overhead transmission lines
- 50 km will use underground cables in the mangrove area
The HVDC transmission line will pass through Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar districts. However, the company clarified that only one kilometre of the HVDC line passes through mangrove areas.
The High Court acknowledged the 2018 ruling that imposed a “total freeze” on mangrove destruction across Maharashtra. However, since this project is of public importance, the court found it appropriate to grant permission.
“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,”
the court stated.
The court also noted that Adani Group has received all necessary statutory approvals and is required to commission the project by March 2025 as per its transmission license.
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