The
Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear a plea against the Maharashtra
government’s plan to build a passenger jetty and terminal near the Gateway of
India in Mumbai.
The
court noted that the Bombay High Court is already looking into the matter and directed
it to decide the case before the end of the monsoon.
A
bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih was hearing
the case. Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, representing the petitioner, argued
that the public was not informed about the project in advance. He said the
project covers “nearly 10 acres of project right into the sea” and is not a
simple jetty but a large structure.
“There
are such places across the world, if you go to Miami, there are so many,” CJI
Gavai responded.
Additional
Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Maharashtra government,
said the petition was “misleading". She told the court that the government
had obtained seven necessary permissions since 2021 and denied claims that the
terminal was for VIPs. “It's absolutely wrong to say it's being created as a
VIP terminal,” she said.
The Bombay High Court had earlier refused to stop
the piling work for the project, and the next hearing is scheduled for June 16.
The petition was filed by the Clean and Heritage Colaba Residents Association
(CHCRA), a group of over 400 residents, along with others.
The
High Court has recorded the State’s assurance that the heritage wall near the
Gateway will not be demolished before June 20. The CJI noted, “It's like—everybody
wants sewage treatment plants, but ‘not behind my house’—something good is
happening in the city, and everybody then approaches the Supreme Court.”
He
also pointed out the benefits of past infrastructure projects. “Now you see
what are the benefits of the coastal road? A person from South Bombay reaches
Versova in 40 minutes; earlier it used to take 3 hours.”
Hegde
argued that the public should have been taken into confidence. Using a Marathi
saying, he said, “Until we die, we don't see heaven.” He added, “You can carry
the public along if you inform it, but if you say my way or the highway...”
Agreeing
to Hegde’s request for a faster decision, the Supreme Court dismissed the
petition, saying, “We are not inclined to entertain the petition since the High
Court is already hearing the matter. However, we would require the High Court
to take up the matter and to decide the same as soon as possible, prior to the
end of the monsoon 2025.”
Hegde
concluded, “It's between ‘aamchi Mumbai’ (our Mumbai) and ‘thyamchi Mumbai’
(their Mumbai).” The CJI responded, “Aamchi Mumbai doesn't live in Colaba. It
is only ‘thyamchi Mumbai’ which lives in Colaba. Aamchi Mumbai lives in Malad,
Thane and Ghatkopar.”