A large number of residents and activists formed a human chain in Belapur to protest against the Kharghar-Nerul coastal road that will pass through the green belt along Panvel creek.

Holding banners and placards, the protesters sought to convey to CIDCO and the government that the vast green zone, created with painstaking and voluntary efforts by residents themselves, should not be destroyed under the guise of the coastal road. On Monday, this paper carried a report about residents and activists celebrating the successful attempt to save a green space in Bandra West. A parking lot was proposed at the site, yet due to fierce opposition and concerted protests, the plan was scotched. The locals spoke about their ‘victory’ and the importance of preserving whatever sliver of green is available in the city.