29.12.16

Coastal Road update


Replant mangroves that are damaged during construction, develop green belt and fit construction equipment with mufflers and exhaust silencers to minimise sound pollution. These are some of the conditions laid down by the state’s green authority while approving one phase of the coastal road in Mumbai.
After the ambitious Rs.12,000 crore coastal road project was split in two parts, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has given a go ahead to the southern stretch (Princess street flyover to Bandra) of the road, but not without laying down 12 conditions before recommending the southern stretch to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). Meanwhile, civic officials said all the conditions have already been met and approval from the MoEF is awaited.
Last month, instead of waiting for clearance for the entire 29.2-km-long stretch — Princess Street flyover to Kandivli — the civic body submitted two separate applications, one for the south and another for the north phase of the coastal road. While approving the road, the MCZMA laid down conditions such as re-plantation of mangroves, to ensure no fishing activity is hampered and that green belt development is implemented as mentioned in the environment management plan.
To further ensure that there is no noise and air pollution, the MCZMA has mandated that all the construction equipment must be fitted with mufflers and exhaust silencers and dust suppression measures must be taken during construction. The civic officials have termed these conditions as doable in comparison to those conditions and recommendations that were laid down in March when the entire proposal was submitted.
Earlier, the civic body was instructed by MCZMA to plant five times the destructed mangroves, to look at Tram service as an option to Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and keep aside 2% of the project cost for mitigation measures.
While plantation of five times the mangroves destructed has been relaxed this time according to the Centre’s notification, there is no condition of Tram services. Also, mitigation funds have been retained.

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