MUMBAI, March 7 -- Despite a busy workday, around 100 residents and environmental activists gathered on Friday evening to protest against the proposed Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road, warning that the project could destroy some of Mumbai's remaining mangrove ecosystems. Participants assembled at Turzon Point in Charkop and marched to Samvidhan Chowk in Kandivali, demanding that the northern arm of the Mumbai Coastal Road project be scrapped due to its potential ecological impact. Carrying placards and artwork and raising slogans of "Save Mumbai, Save Mangroves", protesters staged street plays and spoke to passers-by about what they described as an environmental disaster in the making. The demonstration was organised after tenders worth Rs.1.9 crore were reportedly floated on March 6 for cutting mangroves along the proposed alignment. HT could not independently confirm this with officials of the BMC. Calls and messages to Vaibhav Gandhi, executive engineer in the civic body's bridges department, went unanswered. The Mumbai Coastal Road (North), also known as the Versova-Dahisar Link Road (VDLR), is a proposed 22-km corridor estimated to cost over Rs.20,000 crore. The project, being implemented by the BMC, aims to reduce travel time between Mumbai's western suburbs and Mira-Bhayander. Environmental groups, however, say the project threatens large stretches of mangroves along the city's coastline. According to estimates submitted by the civic body, around 9,000 mangroves may be permanently cut for construction, while more than 45,000 could be directly affected. Residents at the march said the mangrove belt in the area acts as a natural barrier against flooding. Participants also questioned the compensatory afforestation measures proposed by authorities. Under the project's mitigation plan, mangrove plantations have been proposed in Bhayander, while additional compensatory afforestation is planned on more than 100 hectares of land in Chandrapur district near the Tadoba forest. Bansari Kothari, who joined the march, said such measures do not address the local ecological role of mangroves. "If the risk of flooding is here, planting trees hundreds of kilometres away cannot be the solution," she said. Manan Desai, 35, a physics professor who attended the march, questioned the economic logic of the project. "Data suggests that only a small proportion of the city earns above Rs.1 lakh a month. A project funded by taxes from the entire city should not serve only a small, affluent segment," he said. According to the BMC's Environmental Impact Assessment, around 46,000 cars are expected to use the road daily. However, local corporator Sandhya Doshi dismissed concerns that the project would have long-term environmental consequences....