Mumbai's Coastal Road snippets

Mumbai's coastal road does not have to be just one long stretch on stilts and reclaimed land. It can comprise two undersea tunnels as well. The Rs.10,000 crore project will also have two of its four lanes reserved for a bus rapid transit system (BRTS).
The project's details were revealed at a presentation to the Union environment ministry (MoEF) by the BMC on Saturday . The CM was present at the meeting. Keeping with MoEF directives, the coastal road will not breach the high tide line and will be within 300-400 metres of the coastline. As of now, ports, jetties and elevated roads are allowed between the high and low tide lines.
As per the project plan, the coastal road will comprise existing roads, roads to be built on stilts and reclaimed land, and two 3.5 km tunnels. It will involve reclamation of around 70 hectares, on which promenades, gardens and cycling tracks, too, can be laid. “No real estate project will be allowed on open spaces resulting from reclamation,“ said the project in-charge, additional municipal commissioner S V R Srinivas. “The project can be started within a year of environmental clearance and take 4-5 years to complete.“ The BMC will implement the project with its own funds.
The first report on the coastal road was prepared by a panel headed by former municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar. It was the basis for the proposal sent to the MoEF in 2013. The presentation made to the MoEF on Saturday was based on a study by the BMC-appointed STUP Consultants. The final report will be formally submitted to the BMC by the month-end.
Srinivas said BRTS on the coastal road will cater to ordinary citizens; also, people in the city's western areas will take it instead of the existing arterial roads, including Western Express Highway , thus leading to decongestion.