Permission granted for MSRDC casting yard on beach illegal: HC

The Bombay High Court Friday termed as "illegal" the permission granted to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for construction of a casting yard on suburban Juhu beach for the Versova-Bandra Sea Link project.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar allowed a petition filed by activist Zoru Bathena, seeking that work be stopped at the casting yard, saying it was being constructed illegally.

"The petition is allowed. The permission granted by concerned authorities is illegal. Permissions granted by the MCZMA (Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority) is quashed and set aside," the court said.

In his petition, Bathena had claimed that the MSRDC had illegally reclaimed a portion of the beach and was dumping mud on it, which was restricting sea water supply to mangroves in the area.

Around 7.9 hectares of the beach area was being affected due to the casting yard work, the petition said.

Bathena's counsel Gayatri Singh had argued that the construction of the casting yard would result in complete destruction of the natural Juhu Koliwada beach.