Bombay High Court Approves Adani Power Through Protected Areas

The court permits cutting 209 mangroves for an 80-km transmission project, citing public necessity for increased electricity supply in Mumbai.

The Bombay High Court approved Adani Electricity Mumbai Infra Ltd's (AEMIL) plan to construct a 1,000-megawatt high-voltage transmission line spanning 80 kilometers through Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar districts.
The project will impact 209 mangroves, including 144 under the Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit and 65 under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park forest division.
Approximately 30 kilometers of the transmission line will be overhead, while 50 kilometers will be underground, including a section beneath Vasai Creek using horizontal directional drilling to minimize ecological disruption.
The court emphasized balancing sustainable development with environmental preservation, requiring compensatory planting of five times the number of mangroves cut.
The project aims to address Mumbai's growing energy demands, with the transmission line expected to be operational by March 2025, as per the project's statutory permissions.