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Mumbai Climate Risk Study Draws Scrutiny Over Coastal Development
Mumbai’s civic body, the BMC, says it will study how climate change could affect the city.
The report is expected to be released next year.
It will look at dangers such as rising seas, heavy rain and high tides.
The BMC has known about some of these dangers for years.
At the same time, it has approved or carried out projects that changed parts of the coast.
These projects included land reclamation for the coastal road and development around the Bandra Kurla Complex.
The article’s author says this creates a conflict between protecting the city and encouraging development.
She wants large coastal projects to pause while the risks are studied.
The BMC has not indicated that it will take that pause.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to release a new climate risk assessment next year.
The study will examine sea-level rise, land-use changes, coastal development and changing climate patterns along Mumbai’s 149-kilometre coastline.
Critics say the BMC has long known about climate hazards while approving projects that reclaimed wetlands, mangroves and intertidal areas.
The BMC created 247 acres of reclaimed land for the coastal road and obtained permission to fell more than 45,600 mangroves for its Versova-Bhayander extension.
The article calls for a pause in major coastal projects until the assessment is completed, while arguing that commercial and political pressures may prevent such a halt.
- Who
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai residents and critics of coastal development.
- What
- The BMC is commissioning a climate risk assessment amid criticism of its coastal development decisions.
- Where
- Mumbai, including its 149-kilometre coastline, South Mumbai, the Mithi River and Mahim Creek areas.
- When
- The assessment report is expected next year; the article also cites climate warnings and development decisions from 2018 onward.
- Why
- The BMC says significant coastal changes require a new assessment, while critics say the study is needed because development may have increased Mumbai’s climate vulnerability.
Pause and Assess
Continue Development
Whether projects should stop
Pause and Assess
The article argues that major projects altering the coastline should pause until the climate assessment is completed and their risks are evaluated.
Continue Development
The BMC has continued coastal development and has not indicated that it will suspend ongoing or planned projects.
Record on climate risks
Pause and Assess
Critics say the BMC knew about flooding, sea-level rise and ecological vulnerabilities but still approved projects affecting wetlands, mangroves and intertidal areas.
Continue Development
The BMC says a new assessment is necessary because the coastline has undergone significant changes and transformation over the past five years.
Development versus environmental protection
Pause and Assess
The article argues that commercial and political-commercial pressures have taken priority over ecological safety, potentially threatening Mumbaikars’ lives and livelihoods.
Continue Development
The development approach has proceeded with major infrastructure and commercial projects, although the article does not provide a detailed BMC defense of those decisions.
Key facts
- Assessment timing
- The BMC said the climate risk assessment report will be unveiled next year.
- Coastline covered
- The planned assessment concerns Mumbai’s 149-kilometre coastline.
- Earlier hazard mapping
- The article says the BMC identified hazard areas in 2018.
- Coastal road reclamation
- The BMC created 247 acres of reclaimed land during coastal road construction.
- Mangrove permissions
- The BMC obtained permission to fell more than 45,600 mangroves for the Versova-Bhayander coastal road extension.
- Green-cover loss
- The article says Mumbai lost more than 5,000 acres of green cover between 2016 and 2021.
- Projected flooding risk
- Former municipal commissioner IS Chahal said in 2021 that 80% of Nariman Point and Mantralaya could be submerged by 2050.
Sources
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