Why Mumbai Can’t Afford to Lose Its Coastal Mangroves

Most Mumbaikars don’t realise how critical the mangroves are. Spread across Dahisar, Gorai, Versova, Mankhurd, and Navi Mumbai, they act as natural barriers against tidal waves, cyclones, flooding, and what not!

In 2005, areas with dense mangroves like Airoli and Gorai saw less damage during the cloudburst compared to concrete-heavy zones.

They slow down storm surges and absorb excess water — something Mumbai desperately needs.

Mangroves store 4x more carbon than most other forests. Each hectare can trap up to 5 tonnes of carbon every year, helping the city fight climate change without spending a rupee!

Mumbai’s mangroves host over 200 species, from flamingos and otters to mudskippers and fiddler crabs. They’re also nurseries for fish that sustain the city’s fishing communities.

During high tide or intense rains, they trap and hold large volumes of water, releasing it slowly. This delays urban flooding and gives overburdened drains a chance to cope.

But we’ve been cutting them faster than they can recover. Between 1991 and 2001 alone, Mumbai lost over 40% of its mangrove cover due to dumping, encroachments and unregulated development

Mangroves filter toxins, prevent erosion, reduce urban heat, and recharge groundwater — their loss will make the city hotter, dirtier, and more vulnerable to floods.

If cut down, Mumbai will not just lose trees but also its natural defences. If mangroves have stood by Mumbai for decades… can we stand by them now?