The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed BMC to reply to a petition by fishermen who were told to remove their boats from Lotus Jetty at Worli, as it is impeding the Mumbai Coastal Road work.

A bench, led by Justice Gautam Patel, heard a petition by members of Vanchit Machimaar Haj Ali Co-op Society. Their advocate, Meenaz Kakalia said they were given temporary embankment and now have been removed from there too without providing an alternative site. She cited a TISS report that parking space for boats at Lotus Jetty had reduced significantly because of the coastal road work.

Senior advocate Aspi Chinoy, for BMC, said fishing boats cannot be parked on reclaimed land and must be parked on the jetty. The matter will be heard next on Thursday

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