Soon, take a walk through Airoli, Dahisar mangroves

The mangrove protection cell on Friday cleared a tender for the boardwalk in Dahisar mangroves at a cost of ₹34 crore. A clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has been received for a boardwalk in Airoli mangroves

Mumbai: Two boardwalks will soon come up in mangroves in Airoli and Dahisar mangroves.

Airoli mangroves that house the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, which is one of the most sought after spots for spotting flamingos and studying flora and fauna in the wetland, will get a 350-metre-long and 2.5 metre-wide boardwalk. It will cover an area of 915 square metres. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The mangrove protection cell on Friday cleared a tender for the boardwalk in Dahisar mangroves at a cost of ₹34 crore. A clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has been received for a boardwalk in Airoli mangroves.

SY Ramarao, additional principal chief conservator of forests, mangrove protection cell, said that apart from the boardwalk, Dahisar mangrove will also have a nature interpretation centre.

Meanwhile, Airoli mangroves that house the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, which is one of the most sought after spots for spotting flamingos and studying flora and fauna in the wetland, will get a 350-metre-long and 2.5 metre-wide boardwalk. It will cover an area of 915 square metres.

Earlier, a temporary bamboo boardwalk was constructed here, but it broke off. Now, the mangrove cell has planned a bigger boardwalk.

While granting the clearance, the MCZMA has said that the boardwalk is a nature-friendly initiative and will help in spreading awareness about mangroves and associated ecosystems.

The mangrove protection cell is also developing a museum wherein skeletons of whales will be kept for display.

Till five years ago, the nature conservation committee headed by local fishermen used to take tourists to see flamingos. Thereafter, the forest department got a speedboat, however, environmentalists complained of pollution and said that the hissing sound of the engine disturbed flamingos. Now, Ramarao said that they were procuring a battery-operated boat for tourists.

Previously, the city had got its first boardwalk in Gorai mangroves.