Flyover will jeopardise health, Peddar Rd residents tell CM
Peddar Road residents have written to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan asking him to ensure that a fresh environment impact assessment study and a feasibility study is conducted before the flyover project in the area gets a go ahead.
Peddar Road residents have written to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan asking him to ensure that a fresh environment impact assessment study and a feasibility study is conducted before the flyover project in the area gets a go ahead.
In a letter dated December 2, the Peddar Road Residents Association said that the flyover was ‘unworkable’ and would not provide any solution to traffic congestion.
It further said: “A flyover will bring polluting gases right into people’s homes, as more than 50% of the buildings lining the proposed route on both sides will be less than 6 meters away from the edge of the flyover.”
The letter claimed that pollution levels at Peddar Road were higher than 500% of the existing norms.
The association has also demanded that the state look at long-term solutions like completing the sea link up to Nariman Point or an underground tunnel besides restricting traffic to solve the congestion problem.
According to sources, Chavan is likely to push for the pending infrastructure projects of the city, especially the flyover, before the civic polls of 2012.
The Centre’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) had asked the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to conduct another public hearing to address all grievances of the residents before starting any construction.
The MSRDC was also given a list of measures to be followed before getting an in-principal approval.
However, MSRDC minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar was miffed with the EAC’s observations since the authority had conducted a public hearing in 2008.
“We hope to start the project by next year. The public hearing is not mandatory and we are complying with all the remaining conditions. We have made changes to the design and sought approval from the National Coastal Zone Management Authority,” said an MSRDC official
“The earlier public hearing was a sham. We were intimidated and not really allowed to speak. Our concern is not public hearing but a fresh environment impact study as well as feasibility study,” said Veena Singhal, chairperson of the association.