A recent study by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) shows that 33% of the Indian coastline underwent coastal erosion between 1990 – 2016. Causes of coastal erosion are both natural and anthropogenic including, among others, uncoordinated planning of engineering interventions along the coast and rivers, dredging works, deterioration of coastal ecosystems and decrease of sediment input from upstream rivers. Socio-economic development in the coastal areas combined with climate change and sea level rise is expected to exacerbate coastal erosion in the coming decades. Maharashtra’s coastline has a length of about 740 km, with nearly 30 million people living within its coastal districts of Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. The economy of the state of Maharashtra is the largest in India and it is highly dependent on its coastal zone. About 20% of India’s annual trade passes through Mumbai’s two main ports. However, the coastal area is largely affected by coastal erosion and flooding. Cyclones such as Nisarga in 2020, Tauktae in 2021, and Mandos in 2022, killed over 1,200 people in total and caused massive economic damage in the region. 

A Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for the whole of Maharashtra was developed in 2017 under the “Sustainable Coastal protection and Management Investment Program (SCPMIP)”. The Government of Maharashtra intends to implement suitable coastal protection and management solutions, following the priority areas identified in the SMP. These projects will also focus on implementation of nature-based solutions for erosion protection. Appropriately planned and designed coastal erosion solutions adopting flexible and climate-sensitive planning and design approaches will not only help protecting the human lives and livelihoods of coastal communities but also improve the socio-economic development of the region and mitigate the expected impact of climate change and sea level rise in these (and possibly other) coastal regions.

Delta Context is providing support and input to ADB towards strengthening of the rational for the “India: Maharashtra Sustainable Climate Resilient Coastal Protection and Management Project” as well as strategic support for upstream engagement on coastal adaptation and planning at other coastal regions.