BMC to ask Centre to waive off conditions for coastal road project

Civic body says it will not be able to meet all of MCZMA’s suggestions to implement the project

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will find it difficult to comply with certain conditions laid down by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) while approving the 33.207-km coastal road project, said officials.

The BMC is now looking at convincing the Union environment ministry to waive off certain conditions, they added.

The condition of setting aside 2% of the total project cost for mitigation measures including restoration and conservation of mangroves / birds / flora / fauna and mudflats is viewed to be an additional burden on the already expensive Rs12,000-crore project.

Another being, an increase in the amount of mangroves destroyed during construction to be replanted from three times (mandated as per the Centre’s notification) to five times.

Even the option of providing tram service instead of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is an observation the BMC is not keen on following and officials said efforts will be made to convince MoEFCC to waive it off.

“We will discuss our concerns with the MoEFCC and try to convince them to waive off certain conditions and observations, which will be difficult to implement,” he said.

Civic chief Ajoy Mehta, said, “We are yet to study the conditions and observations.”

The BMC has started re-drafting the cost estimates after the meeting with the MCZMA in January. The civic body is also drafting the tender document for appointing contractors to carry out work on the first phase of the project – Priyadarshini Park to Carter Road, Bandra.