Second residents' body moves SC against jetty project at Gateway of India
MUMBAI: A second residents' association has approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Bombay High Court's refusal to halt the construction of a jetty project near the Gateway of India. The Clean and Heritage Colaba Residents Association (CHCRA) has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the High Court's interim order dated May 7, 2025, which allowed concrete piling work at the seabed near Radio Club to proceed.
This comes a week after the Cuffe Parade Residents' Association president moved the apex court with a similar petition.
CHCRA's petition, filed through advocates Ayush Anand and Prerak Choudhary, argues that the construction work poses a serious threat to the seaside heritage wall near the Gateway of India and questions whether the High Court erred in failing to weigh the balance of convenience and the potential for irreparable damage.
Earlier, in its May 2 order, the High Court had recorded an assurance from the Advocate General of Maharashtra that the heritage wall would not be touched before June 20, 2025. The court had scheduled the next hearing for June 16. However, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) began piling work—a process involving fixing concrete piles into the seabed—the very next day, on May 3.
CHCRA has alleged that this move was aimed at bypassing the interim protection granted by the court. The association subsequently filed an application seeking a stay on all piling activity, but the High Court dismissed it on May 7.
The petition also challenges the project's compliance with environmental regulations. It points out that the 2022 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification only permits 'stand-alone jetties' in CRZ-I and CRZ-IV areas. In contrast, the current proposal seeks clearance for 10 jetties, which CHCRA describes as 'ex facie illegal and impermissible'.
The petition further contends that the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) and the MMB have approved the Passenger Jetty and Terminal Facilities project without adequately considering objections from local residents and stakeholders. It cites Rule 8(V) of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Rules, which requires that public concerns be addressed before such approvals are granted.
Additionally, the association has raised concerns over the MCZMA's alleged failure to acknowledge the presence of the heritage seawall—a significant feature of the Gateway of India precinct. Demolition of this wall, the petition argues, would cause irreversible harm to the city's architectural legacy.
Accusing the High Court of overlooking the heritage concerns, CHCRA has urged the Supreme Court to grant an ex parte interim stay on the May 7 order and to restrain the state government from taking any coercive action against the petitioners.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Erect waiting shed at Fort Kochi Ro-Ro jetty within a week, Kerala HC directs Kochi corporation
Kochi: High court has directed the Kochi corporation secretary to erect a temporary waiting shed at the Fort Kochi Ro-Ro Jetty, capable of accommodating at least 50 commuters at a time, at the corporation's expense, within a week. Additionally, the bench of Justice C S Dias instructed Kochi Water Metro Ltd to explore the possibility of providing temporary shelters at both the Fort Kochi and Vypin Water Metro jetties, especially to offer protection to commuters during the monsoon season. The court was hearing a petition concerning the Fort Kochi-Vypin Ro-Ro ferry service. The petition was filed by Nancy Xavier, who sought interim relief directing the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation and Kochi corporation to construct a waiting room at the Fort Kochi Ro-Ro Jetty. She submitted that hundreds of passengers rely on the Ro-Ro ferry service daily, and despite five years having passed since the commencement of services and multiple undertakings by the corporation, no waiting facility had been provided. In response, Kochi corporation informed HC that an estimate of Rs 6.70 lakh had been prepared for constructing a waiting shed, which was awaiting administrative approval. They added that even a temporary shed requires permission from the statutory authority under the Art & Heritage Regulations, framed under the CRZ norms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¡Trading con IA en Chile ayuda a usuarios a obtener ganancias potenciales! Mainhubfb Más información Undo The corporation's counsel also pointed out that the Kochi Water Metro has constructed a ticket counter with seating, located adjacent to the Ro-Ro Jetty, which passengers may use. However, HC observed that Kochi corporation cannot shirk its statutory obligations or shift responsibility to the Water Metro authorities, especially since there is no privity of contract between Water Metro and Ro-Ro passengers. The bench also criticised the corporation for failing to provide shelter for commuters who are exposed to the vagaries of nature. The court further directed the petitioner to implead the Coastal Regulation Zone Authority as a party in the proceedings and adjourned the matter to June 10.
News18
12 hours ago
- News18
NEET PG 2025 Postponed Following SC Order To Hold Exam In One Shift
Last Updated: NEET PG 2025: The exam was slated to held on June 15 but now stands deferred. The revised date will be notified shortly, the NBE has stated. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) PG 2025 has been postponed after the Supreme Court has directed the National Board of Examination to hold the exam in a single shift. The decision has been made to ensure complete transparency in the exam. Many candidates had earlier raised concerns about the continued use of the two-shift exam format in NEET PG. They were calling for a return to the traditional single-shift model, citing worries about uneven question paper difficulty and the fairness of the score normalisation process. A plea was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the conduct of the NEET-PG exam in two shifts, argues that it could lead to unfairness due to varying difficulty levels between shifts. It sought a directive for the NBE to hold the exam in a single shift to ensure a 'just, fair, reasonable, and equitable" competition for all candidates. The exam was slated to held on June 15 but now stands deferred. The revised date will be notified shortly, the NBE has stated. The board has added it would arrange more test centres and required infrastructure to conduct the exam smoothly. The exam city slip was slated to out today, June 2 and the admit cards were scheduled to be released on June 11, but that too stands postponed. The revised dates are expected to be announced soon. The NEET PG exam will be conducted in a computer-based test mode (CBT) in English only. It will consist of 200 multiple-choice questions, totaling 800 marks. The exam is divided into five sections, each containing 40 questions. Candidates will have a total of 3 hours and 30 minutes (210 minutes) to complete the exam. Each section is timed, and once a section is completed, students must proceed to the next section and cannot return to the previous one. The NEET PG will cover questions from 19 MBBS subjects, which are categorized into pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical subjects. First Published: June 02, 2025, 18:59 IST
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
NEET PG 2025 postponed: Why did NBEMS defer the medical entrance exam just weeks before the date?
Why did NBEMS postpone NEET PG 2025? The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2025, initially slated for June 15, has been postponed by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). This decision follows a directive from the Supreme Court of India , emphasising the need for a single-shift examination to ensure fairness and transparency. In response to concerns about potential disparities in difficulty levels between different exam shifts, the Supreme Court mandated that NEET PG 2025 be conducted in a single shift. The Court criticised the two-shift format as arbitrary and unfair, highlighting that normalisation processes cannot guarantee absolute fairness. The directive aims to provide all candidates with an equal opportunity under uniform conditions. Logistical challenges for single shift exam Transitioning to a single-shift examination presents significant logistical hurdles for NBEMS. Conducting the exam in one session requires the identification and preparation of approximately 900 additional test centres nationwide. This expansion necessitates enhanced security measures, including the deployment of signal jammers and advanced surveillance systems. To maintain the integrity of the examination process, NBEMS requires more time to arrange for the test centres. NEET PG 2025 revised schedule awaited Given the extensive preparations required to implement the Supreme Court's directive, NBEMS has postponed NEET PG 2025 until further notice. The board is actively working to finalize the revised schedule. As of now, NBEMS has not declared a new date for NEET PG 2025. The board has stated that a revised schedule — including exam date, admit card release, and city intimation slips — will be announced soon on its official websites: While the examination has been postponed, candidates are advised to continue their preparation diligently. Staying updated through official NBEMS channels is advisable for timely information regarding the rescheduled dates and related announcements. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
