Vadhvan's Giant Leap: 3,500 Acres, A Sea of Controversy

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

To reduce costs, the project plans to source sand from the seabed instead of land. However, environmentalists, fishermen, and marine experts have raised concerns about the 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 cut costs by ₹6,000 crore while reportedly causing less environmental damage than terrestrial mining. The initiative has received approval from the environment ministry following an IIT-Madras assessment, and the Ministry of Mines has allocated 102.8 square kilometres for dredging.

Despite this, activists warn that large-scale sand extraction could severely impact marine ecosystems in Palghar and Daman. Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation cautioned that Daman’s hilly sand coastline, which regenerates over years, may suffer irreversible damage.

Marine biologist Anand Pendharkar emphasized that dredging could cause "colossal damage" to Daman’s coastal ecology. He noted that extracting nearly 30,000 crore tonnes of sand—an area comparable to Aarey Milk Colony—could alter regional water currents.

Fishermen’s representatives also raised concerns. Devendra Tandel, president of the All Maharashtra Fishermen's Action Committee, argued that sand mining decisions should be based on publicly available satellite coastal surveys. He pointed out that Daman’s coast consists of marine sand dunes, while Vadhvan has rocky terrain, making the suitability of Daman’s sand for reclamation scientifically questionable, despite financial viability.

Tandel further highlighted the impact on marine life and livelihoods. "This 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. Increased vessel traffic will also contribute to oil pollution and disrupt traditional fishing zones," he said.

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

News by Rahul Yelligetti.