Environmentalists and transport experts say it will destroy the scenic beauty of the city and damage the environment as mangrove forests will be disturbed for it
Environmentalists and transport experts opposed the idea of a coastal road for Mumbai in a meeting with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials on Tuesday. They claim the road will destroy the scenic beauty of the city completely.
Experts spoke at a meeting with BMC officials about the road. File pic
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They also said many mangroves at Bandra and Andheri will be disturbed to build the road, damaging the environment. The coastal road is proposed from Colaba to Marve, Malad. In the meeting held with Additional Municipal Comm-issioner, SVR Srinivas, there was strong opposition to the whole project and experts pointed that it will be a waste of Rs 8,000 crore.
The road is planned to be 120 feet wide with about 24 connectors from the main land to it and the BMC claims that drivers will be able to achieve the speed of 80 kilometres per hour. A double layer bridge, just like at Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, is planned at Haji Ali on it.
The suggestions in the meeting emphasised improving the public transport and reducing the growth of vehicles entering the city, rather than spoiling the scenic beauty and disturbing the environment. Experts also claimed that every aspect of development was taking place in the Western suburbs and not in the Eastern suburbs, which could lead to disparities amongst the citizens.
Rishi Agarwal, an environmentalist who was at the meeting, said, “I have been against the idea since 2011. Why do authorities always focus on the Western suburbs? This could create disparities amongst the citizens. The mangroves will also be disturbed and the scenic beauty of the city will be lost. The BMC should focus on improving public transport rather than build a coastal road.”
BMC speak
SVR Srinivas, additional municipal commissioner, said, “The meeting was called to discuss the coastal road plan and there were various suggestions by experts from different fields, which will be considered
wherever possible.”
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