Coastal Erosion In Mumbai Worsens Amid Expanding Urban Development

Over the years, coastal erosion, both natural and man-made, has had a major environmental impact on our ever-growing megalopolis.

Mumbai is surrounded by sea on three fronts with various developments on the coastlines, which involved massive reclamations from time to time. This has pushed the seas and the coastlines further on both the western and eastern sides, and led to the development of landfills that have disturbed the ecology and physical nature of the city.

In 1991, coastal regulatory zones were formed specifically for Greater Mumbai, restricting and limiting developments along coastlines in an effort to protect the ecology with certain no-development zones. These norms were relaxed in 2019 and the zones were, first, divided into CRZ-1, CRZ-2, CRZ-3 and CRZ -4, then further subdivided into CRZ 3-A and CRZ 3-B, allowing development within lesser specified limits.

While the west coast of Mumbai saw various infrastructural developments from the south to north in the form of Coastal Road and sea link, with massive reclamations extending into the sea, the eastern waterfront owned by the BPT and Maritime Board was expanding its docklands, facilities and berthing bays for cargo both on the mainland shores and across the harbour.

In the process, various natural mangroves, marshy lands and reefs along the shores, which act as natural breakwaters and a second line of defence against erosion, besides being deterrents to marine pollution, were destroyed. The many embankments or walls protecting the shores weakened over the years due to the intensity of the waves. They often became disjointed or cracked at various places, eroding from within.

Rising sea levels and the behaviour of tides every year (effects of climate change) are a cause of concern and require a rethink about our future development policies.

Marine pollution, a factor ignored due to various reasons, has diminished marine life at the shores. It has pushed them further into the deep seas, because of ship spillage anchored at

harbour, human abuse at beaches and accessible waterfronts. A point in context to the above is the proposed jetty planned between Radio Club boundary and the Gateway of India on the eastern coastline. It would create a basin between the jetty and Radio Club wall and lead to the possible creation of a dirt pit where all the rubbish and litter, including plastics, would accumulate.

This will further deteriorate the more-than-century-old weathered stone wall of the promenade and the Radio Club, besides disintegrating the same and eroding the banks. Also, considering the force of high tidal waves during monsoons, one cannot ignore the fact that the lash-back of waves as noticed at Marine Drive promenade, with muck thrown back to the shore, and proved fatal at times.

An environmental impact study, including behaviour of tides and their effects on

the surrounding land, is essential before the project goes ahead.

The author is an architect, interior designer, author and former academic