Mumbai: Fishermen upset with MMRDA's Nariman Point- Cuffe Parade Connector; claim govt destroying livelihood

Mumbai: Fishermen, the earliest known inhabitants of Mumbai, have a grouse against the state authorities for being non-transparent with them. They allege that the government is working for those living in the high rises and destroying their means of livelihood.

Their grievance is against a certain portion of 1.6km long Nariman Point Cuffe Parade Connector project taken up by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Bhuvaneshwar Dhanu of Machimar Sarvodaya Sahakari Sanstha shared that their opposition has been there since 2017 and a year later, the project was put on the back burner. Now, with the revival of the infrastructure project, they have shared their viewpoints with the authorities to alter the design at the Cuffe Parade side of the connector.

"Initially, the government planned the landing point at Navy Nagar, which got alternated to our jetty. Now, the alignment has been changed to the main area where we load and unload our fishing trawlers at Cuffe Parade," said Mr Dhanu.

"Already, the government is constructing an underground Metro rail from Cuffe Parade, connecting with suburban Mumbai. Why the necessity for this four-lane road project?" questioned Mr Dhanu.

While not entirely opposing the road project, he suggested an alternative location. The plot reserved to anchor the boats, opposite Badhwar Park can be taken up as the landing spot for rehabilitating the affected families.

Another grievance is that the authorities have a non-transparent approach towards them and have never completely communicated updates with them including as basic as minutes of the meeting, wherein they are participants and stakeholders of the project.