India, May 8 -- The Bombay high court on Tuesday granted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) permission to proceed with a road project in Malad through an ecologically sensitive mangroves buffer zone. Noting that the BMC has taken up compensatory afforestation for the mangroves to be cut for the project, the court ruled that the project should be allowed as it is of 'public interest'.

The court, on September 17, 2018, had passed an order, directed the state to preserve and protect the mangroves and mandated obtaining prior permission from the high court for any construction in mangroves areas or buffer zones of 50 meters.

The proposed road construction project by the BMC, was reported to be falling partly in Coastal Regulation ...