New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday lifted its temporary curbs, imposed early this month, on development of the Rs.74 billion Mundra port project in Gujarat.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan was responding to a plea by the Adani group, which bagged the Gujarat government contract in 2001 to develop the port along with a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) around it, comprising several projects OF public importance, including power plants.

A vacation bench of Justice Altmas Kabir and Justice G.S. Singhvi had stalled the ongoing works on the project on a lawsuit by seven fishermen, alleging that the project was detrimental to the flora and fauna of the region.

The vacation bench ordered status quo on implementation of the project without hearing other parties, including the Adani group and the central and Gujarat governments.

The bench of the chief justice, while allowing the Adani group to continue with the developmental work at the Mundra port project, also ordered it to guard against filling and eliminating the natural Navinal Creek in the area.

The bench, which also included Justices P. Sathasivam and J.M. Panchal, also asked the Adani group to guard against damaging the widespread mangroves in the area.