BMC violating order on Coastal Road, say locals

Mumbai: The conflict over the Coastal Road between the residents of south Mumbai and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is heating up.

The residents and activists are alleging that the BMC and the contractors appointed by it for construction of the Coastal Road are blatantly violating the court order regarding reclamation. The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the BMC to complete the remaining work of the already reclaimed land. However, residents are claiming that with every passing day, new land is being reclaimed under the garb of completing the remaining work.

At regular intervals, south Mumbai residents are clicking pictures and videos of the work carried out by the contractors as proof. However, the BMC is refuting the allegations. An officer from the BMC’s Coastal Road department, said, “We are putting the grated stones as armour lock so that the already reclaimed part does not get washed away during the monsoon. The trucks are carrying those stones and putting them which looks like reclamation but we are not adding any new soil.”

“This falls under completion of already reclaimed land and it is not a breach of the court order,” the officer asserted.

Resident Geeta Sheshu said, “We demand a joint public inspection. If the BMC is following the court’s order, it should not have a problem scheduling a joint inspection and solving people’s doubts.”

The HC last month put a stay on Coastal Road work after petitions were filed on the environmental damage caused by the project due to reclamation. The BMC thereafter approached the SC and was allowed to complete the half done work. However, the stay on new reclamation continues.