Mumbai’s ‘Aravalli moment’: Greens seek PM Modi review as 45,000 mangroves face axe

Mumbai: Terming the proposed felling of around 45,000 mangroves for the coastal road project as Mumbai region’s “Aravalli moment,” environmentalists urged the Prime Minister to order an immediate review, warning that climate risks from rising sea levels are already real.

Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on biodiversity and mangrove conservation, NatConnect Foundation pointed out that the large-scale destruction of mangroves - critical coastal buffers - could severely weaken Mumbai’s resilience to flooding and sea-level rise.

“This is Mumbai’s Aravalli moment,” said Director B N Kumar, drawing parallels with ecological concerns that prompted intervention in the Aravalli Hills. “The concerns are similar—irreversible damage to a natural defence system. Mangroves are essential for the city’s survival.”

Kumar said PM’s Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) underlines the importance of mangroves, while the plan to fell 45,000 in Mumbai undermines the “triple-engine” government’s environmental commitments, with the BJP in power at the Centre, state and city.

Activists pointed out that the same civic body, which acknowledged these risks in its climate planning framework, is now pursuing projects involving large-scale mangrove loss, raising concerns over policy contradiction.

Nandakumar Pawar of SagarShakti termed the move “shocking and disappointing,” saying it overlooked Mumbai’s growing climate vulnerability. “Mangroves are the lungs and shield of the city, sustaining biodiversity and livelihoods. Alternatives must be explored to minimise damage and protect coastal communities,” he said.

Recent scientific assessments have further warned that even modest increases in sea level can sharply amplify flooding in Mumbai, especially when combined with extreme rainfall events.

With global sea levels rising steadily, low-lying coastal zones face heightened risks of recurrent flooding, infrastructure damage and displacement.

“Mangroves are Mumbai’s coastal shield. You cannot destroy them here and compensate elsewhere—ecosystems are not interchangeable,” said Jyoti Nadkarni, co-convenor of the Kharghar Hills and Wetlands Forum.

Mangroves are widely recognised as natural bio-shields, reducing wave energy, stabilising shorelines and storing significant amounts of carbon.

Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society warned that their loss would leave the city exposed to floods, storm surges and erosion.

“Without mangroves, extreme rainfall and tidal events can translate into severe flooding. Once destroyed, these ecosystems are difficult to restore,” he said, adding that development must follow climate-resilient pathways with minimal ecological damage.