Joint efforts to counter coastal road

A coalition of environmentalists, NGOs and resident welfare associations across the city have come under one roof to point out the loopholes and the environmental degradation that would be caused by the Rs 13,000-crore coastal road project of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM).

Apna Mumbai Abhiyan (AMA) is soon expected to put up a strong fight against the civic body which has issued expression of interests (EOI) for four stretches of coastal road without obtaining the necessary clearances from the Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF).

AMA has alleged that while the final clearances from MoEF for the 33-km-long coastal road are still awaited, the BMC has asked the ministry to waive certain conditions which the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) imposed in its meeting in January this year.

The conditions apparently include setting aside 2 per cent of the total cost project, Rs 240 crore towards mitigation measures, which include restoration and conservation of mangroves and mudflats.

The BMC was asked to submit a study of the impact of clearing mangroves on the flooding of low-lying areas along the Marine Drive to Kandivali stretch of the coastal road. “The MCZMA has asked BMC to plant five times the number of mangroves cut or destroyed for the project. At the same time, certain permissions need to be obtained from high court before clearing the mangroves,” said an AMA official.

MCZMA has asked the BMC to ensure that no fishing activity was hampered during the construction and operations of the project. Also, BMC officials are supposed to create a green belt around the road.

However, AMA alleged that BMC officials have already issued four EOIs before completing the necessary studies.

“The BMC has proceeded to identify international consultants and their Indian counterparts to construct the four stretches without even obtaining the MoEF sanctions,” said Darryl D’monte of Bandra West Resident Association (BWRA) which is a part of AMA.

“Secondly, the BMC has not held any public consultations on the project despite it being a project which will change the face of the city,” he added.