MMB Directs MMRDA To Review Koli Fisherfolk Objections Before Proceeding With Kopri–Patni Cable-Stayed Bridge

Thane: As infrastructure development rapidly reshapes the Thane creek, the traditional livelihoods and customary rights of the indigenous Koli community have taken center stage. Acting on formal objections raised by local fishermen, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has directed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to thoroughly review these concerns before proceeding with the proposed Kopri–Patni cable-stayed bridge project.

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Sensitive Zones Near Alignment

The proposed alignment of the bridge passes close to ecologically sensitive zones, including a designated Ramsar site, the Chendani Bunder, flamingo habitats, and vital mangrove ecosystems. This proximity has sparked serious environmental apprehensions alongside fears that the project will severely disrupt indigenous fishing grounds and public coastal spaces utilized by the community for generations.

Earlier, responding to an MMRDA request, the MMB had granted conditional clearance for the bridge construction, stipulating a 100-meter horizontal clearance and a 10-meter vertical clearance. However, following written grievances submitted by local fisherfolk, the maritime authority has mandated a comprehensive assessment of the objections prior to further execution.

Fisherfolk Lodge Objections

Anand Prabhakar Koli, Thane District President of the Akhil Bharatiya Koli Samaj and a resident of Chendani Koliwada, formally registered his objections with the Minister of Fisheries and Ports. He emphasized that the project threatens traditional fishing routes, coastal access points, and community spaces essential to the daily lives of local residents.

"The local community must be taken into confidence before implementing any major infrastructure project," stated Anand Prabhakar Koli, Thane District President of the Akhil Bharatiya Koli Samaj. "If developmental initiatives like coastal roads, ring roads, internal ring metros, creek bridges, and waterfronts infringe upon traditional spaces, local participation and the absolute protection of our rights must be ensured."

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Beyond active fishing lanes, the affected coastal zones serve as cultural hubs for the Koli community, hosting traditional rituals, the Narali Purnima festival, the Koli Festival, and religious immersions including Ganesh and Goddess idols.

Environmental experts note that the Thane creek ecosystem—reputed for its rich biodiversity, mangroves, and flamingos—requires rigorous scientific evaluation. The potential long-term impacts of construction excavation, heavy material transport, and soaring future traffic volumes on the creek's fragile ecology demand careful scrutiny.

With the MMB’s directives now in place, the MMRDA faces the critical task of addressing fisherfolk grievances and providing transparent clarifications regarding the bridge blueprint's impact on local spaces. The unfolding situation highlights a mounting challenge for urban planners: balancing high-speed regional connectivity with the preservation of vital urban ecosystems and the heritage rights of traditional coastal communities.

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