Mangrove forests act like a sentinel that protects the coastal region against tsunami waves or hurricanes. The roots of these trees form a densely interconnected structure that breaks down the waves and decreases the force of impact by absorbing the energy of the waves. Mangroves are home to a lot of creatures from beautiful and majestic birds to fishes and crabs. Mangroves also play an important role in
balancing the ecosystem by preventing soil erosion. Mangroves have aerial roots that extend vertically from the soils surrounding the trunk. These roots enable the mangroves to breathe in habitats that have
waterlogged soil. Mumbai’s mangroves boast a history older than the city itself. It was the British who, upon realizing the strategic and commercial importance of the islands of the Arabian Sea, ordered the clearing of the mangroves that rimmed the once-separated islands to create a continuous land mass
then known as Greater Bombay. Today, many of these mangroves have disappeared and only a few remain. These can be spotted along locations such as the Vasai creek, Thane creek, Manori, Malad, Mahim, Bandra, Versova, Sewri, Mumbra–Diva, Gorai, and Ghodbunder. These mangroves also provide income for a lot of fishermen. Thane creek one of the mangrove forests in Mumbai has been deemed a
Flamingo Sanctuary. Thane creek has semi-diurnal tides, which means the tides change from high tide to low tide in 6 hours. So throughout the day, two cycles of the ties occur. The highest of the high tides goes to 14.5 ft and the lowest of the low goes to 0.9 to 3.15 ft. Mangrove cell wishes to build a recreational space around the mangroves that would attract more visitors. Tourism in India is growing significantly in
the sector of eco-tourism. The government invests a lot of money into eco-tourism, and recreational activities to spread awareness of the environment. In India, the tourism industry’s direct contribution to the GDP is expected to record an annual growth rate of 10.35% between 2019 and 2028. By 2028, Indian tourism and hospitality are expected to earn US$ 50.9 billion as visitor exports compared with US$ 28.9 billion in 2018. The industry is also looking forward to the expansion of the e-Visa scheme, which is
expected to double the tourist inflow in India.
Submitted by: Pratik Bansode, MDes (2021-23), IIT Bombay
Guided by: Prof. Sugandh Malhotra Co Guided: Prof. Harsh Kamble
