Residents concerned

Residents along Palm Beach Road have once again raised concerns as miscreants have once again removed a steel barricade near the TS Chanakya wetland area. Despite earlier actions taken by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to mend the damaged portion on April 14th, the barricade has been dismantled once more.

The motive behind the removal seems to be the facilitation of easier access to the mangrove area, particularly for two-wheeler riders seeking a direct route to TS Chanakya. ChandraShekhar Mani, a resident, expressed serious safety concerns, highlighting the risk of unauthorized access to protected mangroves and wetlands. He emphasized that such actions not only endanger individuals but also increase the likelihood of accidents for commuters.

Sunil Agarwal, founder of the Save Navi Mumbai Environment group, has been actively advocating for the protection of the TS Chanakya mangrove belt. His efforts led to NMMC officials surveying the area, removing debris, and installing a new barricade for public safety. However, the recurrence of the removal within four days has left residents astonished and alarmed.

Both Mani and Agarwal stress that such actions not only endanger residents but also threaten the delicate ecosystem of the mangroves and wetlands. The removal of barricades not only encourages illegal activities like waste dumping but also paves the way for encroachments into protected areas.