The piling work for the Versova-Dahisar Link Road reportedly caused alarming tremors in multiple buildings in Charkop, Kandivali West, sparking fear among residents. Following complaints, the work was immediately stopped last Wednesday. The civic body will now conduct a structural audit of nearby buildings by experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to ensure residents’ safety. The work will resume only after approval from the experts from VJTI.
Coastal Road Project Overview
The 20-km Coastal Road, costing Rs. 20,000 crore, will connect Versova to Dahisar. While Phase I, from Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, is already operational, Phase II aims to link the island city to the western suburbs. The project had earlier faced controversy over the impact on thousands of trees in the Versova and Kandivali areas. Now, a new issue has emerged, as piling work in Charkop Sector 8 drew opposition from local residents after tremors were felt on February 11. Following intervention by local MLA Sanjay Upadhyay, the work was immediately halted, and a high-level meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Wednesday.
Residents Seek Safety Measures
The meeting was attended by MLA Upadhyay and senior civic officials. Upadhyay demanded that before commencing work, local residents be properly informed about the project and its implications, all nearby buildings be inspected by experts from VJTI or IIT, strict safety precautions be followed, incidents be documented in writing, work adhere to designated hours, a responsible officer be appointed to supervise operations, strong warning signs be installed to protect the public, and necessary measures be taken to control pollution at the site. The civic authorities has assured Upadhyay that required measures will be carried out to ensure safety of the residents.
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Audit Before Work Resumes
Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), said, “An inspection of the area was carried out before commencing the work. As per the demand for independent verification, VJTI experts will visit the site to assess any impact on nearby buildings. We will ensure all necessary precautions are taken to safeguard residents. A 15-ft protective sheet will be installed to control dust, and, similar to road projects, a responsible officer will be appointed to supervise operations and oversee the work.” Meanwhile, work will resume after VJTI inspects the site and gives the green signal, an official said.
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