Navi Mumbai: In a major boost for environmental conservation, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has included the long-awaited mangrove park in its 2025-26 Budget proposals. The project, which environmentalists have been advocating for years, aims to preserve mangroves and educate citizens about their ecological significance.
NatConnect Foundation recalled that former Konkan Divisional Commissioner Jagdish Patil, who also headed the High Court-mandated Mangrove Protection and Conservation Committee, had supported the idea of a mangrove park in Navi Mumbai. The proposal was first raised in January 2019 when large-scale mangrove destruction was reported in Uran under NMSEZ and JNPA, said NatConnect director B.N. Kumar.
With the Maharashtra State Mangrove Cell already working on a mangrove park in Gorai—expected to be completed by May—activists renewed their demand for a similar project in Navi Mumbai. NMMC city engineer Shirish Aradwad confirmed that the civic body will collaborate with the state forest department to bring the project to fruition.
Butterfly Park, Green Cover Expansion Also on the Agenda
Apart from the mangrove park, NMMC has also proposed developing a butterfly park in Nerul, near Palm Beach Marg, by planting a variety of host plants. The initiative aims to promote biodiversity and enhance the city’s green spaces.
In response to concerns about rising air pollution, NMMC plans to plant 45,000 saplings and expand the green cover by 40 hectares. Additionally, the civic body will install static fog cannons at eight locations and deploy dust suppression vehicles to combat airborne pollutants.
Call for Stronger Environmental Policies
Environmentalists have urged NMMC to adopt a comprehensive environmental policy, incorporating rainwater harvesting and solar power generation at civic office buildings.
NatConnect has also recommended that all new buildings be required to implement solar power, rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, and efficient waste management. The foundation stressed that urban garbage management should be a shared responsibility between households and the municipality.
Activists have further demanded that NMMC take over all open spaces and prevent CIDCO from undertaking new developments in its jurisdiction.
"Instead of creating more concrete jungles in the name of redevelopment, we should focus on expanding urban forests," said activist Madhu Shankar. She pointed to the success of forested areas in Kopar Khairane and Nerul, advocating for similar projects in Parsik Hills, Vashi, Nerul, Sanpada, Airoli, and the MIDC industrial belt.
Environmentalists see the upcoming mangrove park as a step in the right direction, emphasizing that preserving mangroves is crucial for coastal protection, biodiversity, and climate resilience.