The Tata Mundra power project has drastically altered coastal access for fishing communities by constructing an outlet channel that blocks traditional routes to the sea. Fishermen who once reached fishing grounds directly are now forced to take a 7-kilometre detour, increasing fuel costs, time, and physical risk. This loss of access has undermined daily livelihoods and reduced fishing viability, particularly for small-scale operators. Despite clear economic hardship caused by the project’s infrastructure, affected fishermen were never compensated. The situation exposes a pattern of development that privileges corporate convenience over customary rights, mobility, and the survival of coastal communities.