3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jun 25, 2026 08:45 PM IST
Clearing way for the expedited execution of the Vadhavan greenfield port, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed a plea seeking diversion of 9.24 hectare of mangrove forest area containing 208 mangrove trees to carry out construction of the eight-lane access-controlled highway for connectivity to the proposed port.
The High Court observed that the project proponent had complied with the conditions laid down in environmental clearances to fell mangroves located within the near-shore reclamation zone. It added that the project was of “public importance and utility”, with a proposed cost of Rs 76,220 crore, and would enable India to become one of the countries with the top 10 container ports in the world.
The project will be developed through Vadhavan Port Project Ltd, a joint venture between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
A bench of Justices Bharati H Dangre and Manjusha A Deshpande on June 23 passed a ruling on a plea by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), seeking permission to fell mangroves for the construction of the eight-lane highway linking the proposed Port to NH-48.
The permission was required as per a 2018 ruling of the High Court imposing a total freeze on destruction of mangroves across Maharashtra. The ruling also mandated the court’s approval to fell mangroves for public development or infrastructure projects.
Advocate General Milind Sathe along with advocate Saket Mone, representing NHAI’s Project Director, told the court that the project proponent had secured clearance from the environmental, forest, and coastal zone authorities required for diversion of forest land by following due procedure.
The court was told that the “mega project” of “national importance” would boost Maharashtra’s growth, national wealth and local employment.
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The court, in its order, said the NHAI had complied with compensatory afforestation requirements. The project proponent has undertaken the plantation of 1.33 lakh mangroves on 30 hectare of land and deposited more than Rs 4.83 crore towards compensatory afforestation of mangroves, apart from other payments required under forest clearance conditions.
The high court also noted that the project proponent had obtained all necessary approvals, including environmental, forest and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances, for the proposed Rail and Road alignment for port connectivity.
The Bombay High Court, “in larger public interest”, found it appropriate to accord its approval in NHAI’s favour for the 8-lane road by felling 208 mangroves.
“In our view, the said project being of public utility, would provide connectivity to the Vadhavan Port which is being developed as a major Port on a landlord Port development model, which would open an opportunity for India to make it into the countries with top 10 container Ports in the world,” the bench observed.
In April 2024, the Bombay High Court dismissed pleas challenging the approval by Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority (DTEPA) for development of Vadhavan Port.
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The verdict is under challenge before the Supreme Court, which in February 2025, refused interim relief but made further acquisition proceedings subject to court orders. The High Court bench on Tuesday refused to accept the Supreme Court order amounting to a stay on the development of the port and allowed NHAI’s plea.
