If things go according to plan, the much-waited 22-km-long Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project, which has been on paper from the past two decades, will go live by October 2016. The officials at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) are quite positive about starting the work on the project by next year.
An MMRDA official said, “Talks between the Centre and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) regarding the financing of the project are set to reach a conclusion by January.”
JICA had earlier agreed to fund 80 per cent of the estimated project cost of '11,000 crore and the remaining 20 per cent was proposed to be made available by the Centre.
“The MMRDA plans to float bids for the geotechnical survey for the project in January,” said an MMRDA official.
The geotechnical survey will include testing of soil underwater and to determine important factors to be considered while carrying out the actual work on the project.
“The survey report is essential because on the basis of the report’s conclusion, the companies applying for the tenders will come to know how much in depth construction is required and what are the technical aspects they will have to consider while constructing a plinth-level foundation in water,” said Sanjay Khandare, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.
In the meantime, JICA will come out with its report on the re-study and will be submitted to the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) by the month of March.
Last week, the state wildlife board gave its approval for the MTHL project. It gave its clearance for diversion of the status of forest land after which the approval will now be forwarded to the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) — which comes under the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF).
“We have planned to submit complete study and reports related to the project by the month of March and attain all clearances by the MoEF till then. We plan to invite tenders for the same by July and complete the process of procuring tenders and bids by the month of September. We are quite optimistic about starting the work for the project by October 2016,” added Mr Khandare.
Meanwhile, “The MMRDA will start its social impact survey on the project-affected people (PAPs) from the fishermen community members in a couple of days and submit the report to the state government by March,” said an MMRDA official.
The survey will see how the MTHL project would have an impact on their livelihood. It includes meeting the members from the fishermen community to understand how the project would have an impact on their fishing activities.
The survey will be carried out in areas such as Mahul, Trombay, Sewri, Vashi gaon, Divale, Moha, Belpada and Uran.
