Vadhvan Port Project to Reclaim 3,500 Acres from the Sea.

The proposed Vadhvan port in Palghar district will require the reclamation of 3,500 acres from the sea, with sand to be dredged from a site 50 km off the Daman coast. The scale of reclamation surpasses that of the Navi Mumbai airport, which involved reclaiming 2,867 acres.

While the project aims to optimize costs by sourcing sand from the seabed instead of land, environmentalists, fishermen, and marine ecology experts have raised serious concerns over the potential ecological impact.

According to Vadhvan Port Project Ltd, which is overseeing the ₹76,000 crore development, dredging 2,000 million cubic metres of sand from land would cost ₹12,000 crore, including ₹1,440 crore in royalties to the Centre. In contrast, maritime sand mining could reduce costs by ₹6,000 crore while minimizing environmental damage compared to terrestrial mining. The initiative has received approval from the environment ministry following an IIT-Madras assessment, the company stated. The Ministry of Mines has allocated 102.8 square kilometres for dredging.

However, activists argue that large-scale sand extraction could disrupt marine ecosystems in both Palghar and Daman. Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation warned that Daman’s hilly sand coastline, which takes years to regenerate, may not naturally recover from the extraction.

Marine biologist Anand Pendharkar cautioned that the project could cause "colossal damage" to Daman’s coastal ecology. "The sand volume involved is nearly 30,000 crore tonnes, equivalent in area to Aarey Milk Colony. This could significantly alter water currents in the region," he said.

Fishermen’s representatives have also voiced concerns. Devendra Tandel, president of the All Maharashtra Fishermen's Action Committee, said sand mining decisions should be based on publicly available satellite coastal surveys. "Daman's coast consists of marine sand dunes, while Vadhvan has a rocky terrain. Scientifically, using Daman's sand for reclamation is questionable, even if it is financially viable," he argued.

He also highlighted the impact on marine life and livelihoods. "The region is a breeding ground for pomfrets and sea gold croakers, and thousands of fishermen maintain permanent fishnet installations. The port will displace over 20,800 fishing families with only a ₹6 lakh one-time settlement. Vessel traffic will also increase oil pollution and disrupt traditional fishing zones," Tandel said.

Fishermen from Gorai, Uttan, Vasai, Arnala, Satpati, and Dahanu, who rely on fishing at Vadhvan, are expected to be significantly affected by the port’s development.

ET