5043 mangroves marked for Virar-Alibaug corridor, only 449 to be lost permanently
MSRDC says most trees will survive or be replanted
The corridor will be developed entirely through private investment on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. Environmental clearances are the next hurdle for the ambitious Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor after the state approved the project’s first 96.41-km phase. While the project will impact 5,043 mangrove trees across 75 hectares, officials say only 449 trees will be permanently lost, with the rest expected to survive construction or be replanted.
The Mumbai State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is simultaneously preparing to float tenders from June for the ring road project linking Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. The corridor will be developed entirely through private investment on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.
The project cuts through eco-sensitive zones including the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and Karnala Wildlife Sanctuary — environmental concerns that have previously delayed the corridor.
According to the latest proposal submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), 5,043 mangrove trees fall within the affected zone. However, MSRDC officials insist permanent damage will be limited.
“Only the 449 trees located where piers for elevated stretches are planned will be permanently affected,” an MSRDC official said. “Another 730 trees affected by temporary access roads during construction will be replanted afterward, while nearly 3,800 trees fall within working and utility zones but are expected to remain largely unaffected.”
To minimise ecological disruption, stretches passing through wildlife sanctuaries and national parks will be elevated to allow free movement of animals beneath the corridor. The alignment itself had earlier been modified following environmental objections.
The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority has already cleared the proposal. The MSRDC is now awaiting approvals from the Expert Appraisal Committee and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Permission for mangrove cutting will subsequently require clearance from the Bombay High Court.
Officials said compensatory afforestation will be undertaken at three times the number of trees permanently affected.
The first phase of the project — connecting Navghar in Vasai taluka to Chirner in Uran taluka — is estimated to cost Rs 31,793.47 crore and aims to improve connectivity between Vasai-Virar and Navi Mumbai. The corridor will be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with developers recovering investments through a proposed toll of Rs 8 per km over 40 years. A second phase will extend the corridor to Alibaug.
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