MUMBAI — The state government assured the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that a single new Rs 400 crore casino vessel, designed to hold 2,000 passengers, will fit seamlessly into a river already clustered with six existing offshore casinos holding a combined total of 1,987 passengers.

Authorities expressed disappointment after the court paused the mega-vessel's entry following a public interest litigation filed by the civic group 'Enough is Enough'. Legal representatives for the state and the operator criticized the petitioners for intentionally delaying their environmental complaints until immediately before the monsoon, precisely when the massive vessel was scheduled to squeeze into the estuary.

"We thoroughly reviewed the 2021 findings from the Secretary of Ports, which formally warned that adding new vessels would create severe navigational hazards," a state official said. "After careful consideration of these grave dangers, the appropriate government bodies proceeded to issue a provisional No-Objection Certificate for a ship whose capacity exceeds the entire existing fleet combined."

When asked about the complete absence of discussion regarding the long-term ecological impact on the Mandovi river, the official confirmed the government remains deeply committed to protecting the delicate estuarine environment, provided such protection does not interfere with the immediate collection of tourism revenue and casino licensing fees.