The Bombay High Court on Tuesday quashed the CRZ clearances granted to the city civic body's ambitious Rs 14,000-crore coastal road project, saying there was "serious lacuna" in the decision-making process and lack of proper scientific study.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar in its ruling said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cannot proceed with work on the 29.2 km-long project, proposed to connect Marine Drive area in south Mumbai to suburban Borivali in north Mumbai.

The court noted that the environmental clearance was required to be taken by the BMC under Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification issued by the centre.

"We declare that the civic body cannot proceed with the works without obtaining an environmental clearance under EIA notification. Further, permission under the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972 should also be obtained," the high court said.

The bench quashed the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances while allowing a bunch of petitions filed by activists, residents and fishermen from the city challenging the project.

CNBC-TV18's Manisha Natarajan is in conversation with the petitioner Shweta Wagh and Hafeez Contractor, architect, who believes it’s a disservice to the city to not have the coastal road.