Mumbai : The BMC took one step ahead in securing environment clearances for its iconic coastal road project, and presented a model of the environment impact assessment and the environment model plan to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA)
Additional municipal commissioner (projects) Dr Sanjay Mukherjee informed, “The presentation highlighted the advantages of the proposed coastal road from an environmental point of view.” These comments included data on ground water level, air quality, and impact on Mumbai’s pollution and traffic.
Highlighting the positive aspects of the road, Mukherjee said it opens up alternate means of transport for the city as it has a cycling track and a dedicated BRTS route. The road will have eleven exit routes in the city, where traffic can be drained out; hence it is useful for short distances and will reduce the burden of traffic and pollution in the main city. The road will also open up the sea face for Mumbai, currently available at some places like Marine Drive, Bandra, Dadar and Juhu.
Meanwhile, BMC also reached a consensus regarding three objections it had to the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change’s project notification.
The BMC agreed that the inter-tidal zone will not get affected and that no construction of buildings – commercial or otherwise – other than those required for the road (like bus depots, parking lots), will be constructed on the sea-side of the road.
The BMC also agreed to plant three times the mangroves it will slash for this project. Mukherjee informed that mangroves fall only between Versova and Kandavali, and the coastal road has been elevated in this region to minimise damage. Meanwhile, the clause that mandated the BMC to construct nothing but the actual road on reclaimed land, now says the BMC can construct apparatus like emergency management systems, communication systems and parking lots.
