The full-scale construction of the 26.3-km Versova-Bhayandar Coastal Road has officially begun after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) received approval from Maharashtra’s Mangrove Cell.

This clearance, granted on January 20, follows the Bombay High Court's green light for the project, despite concerns over the environmental impact on mangroves. The project will involve the removal of up to 45,673 mangroves from the nearly 60,000 along the alignment. Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), mentioned, "We received the last permission on January 20—the working permit from the mangrove cell. Our project is mostly in the CRZ portion. We had started working in the non-CRZ zone already, but this permission will help us expedite the work."

The Coastal Road Project will be executed in seven packages, including the relocation of high-tension power lines from Adani Power and Tata Power, which poses a significant challenge. The road will connect Versova to Bhayandar, improving infrastructure in the region.