MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has cleared a proposal to develop a bird park at the Bhandup water pumping station, a thriving habitat for flamingos and other migratory birds along the Thane Creek. The project, spearheaded by the state forest department’s Mangrove Cell, was approved at a meeting held in the second week of July.
The park will include a 1.5-kilometre mangrove trail, three watchtowers, an information centre, and a designated car park to accommodate an expected influx of visitors. Officials say the project aims to strike a balance between public engagement and conservation by educating visitors about the region’s biodiversity without disturbing the delicate wetland ecosystem.
Situated within the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS), the Bhandup site is a biodiversity hotspot, home to both native and migratory birds, including flamingos, which seasonally feed and nest in the shallow lake near the pumping station. According to minutes of the MCZMA meeting, the lake’s depth averages around two feet—ideal for wading birds—and the surrounding environment, enriched with algae, mosses, and fungi, attracts a variety of species. The area is also marked by the presence of salt pans, which draw salt-dependent bird species.
To minimise human interference, a concealed bird photography hide will be constructed, ensuring that birdwatchers and photographers can observe avifauna without disrupting their natural behaviour. Visitors will be required to leave their vehicles outside the site and walk to the park, where they will receive a guided orientation on the local ecosystem, including the workings of the Bhandup pumping station and the bird species inhabiting the region.
However, experts have flagged potential risks to the sanctuary’s ecological balance. Dr Anish Andheria, a wildlife expert and MCZMA member, stressed the importance of conducting a carrying capacity study to determine how many visitors the site can sustainably host. “A proper crowd management plan must be implemented to avoid over-tourism, which could disturb bird populations and their habitats,” the minutes quoted him as saying.
The Mangrove Cell’s initiative comes even as another aviary is being planned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in nearby Nahur.
While the bird park seeks to protect and showcase Mumbai’s fragile wetlands, other decisions cleared by the MCZMA may pose challenges for mangrove conservation. The authority has approved major high-voltage electric transmission lines in the extended Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including the 400kV Padgaon-Nagothane line for the JSW Dolvi Steel Plant, and the 132kV Dahanu-Boisar (MIDC) transmission line for Palghar.
The JSW Dolvi project, to be executed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL), is expected to boost industrial power supply in Raigad district. However, the minutes state that the line will affect approximately 112 mangroves and impact 18.22 hectares of mangrove land.
Similarly, the Dahanu-Boisar transmission line will cut through mangrove patches in Palghar district, raising concerns about further habitat loss in coastal Maharashtra.
Environmentalists have urged the state to ensure that compensatory afforestation and stringent safeguards are enforced before such infrastructure projects proceed, particularly in ecologically sensitive zones.