Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburb) and in-charge of Coastal Road department Ashwini Bhide. (File) How much work on the Coastal Road Project has completed? Has the reclamation in the sea been over?
More than 50 per cent of overall work on the Coastal Road Project is completed. So far, 105 hectares of reclamation in the sea has been completed.
What are the benefits of the project for citizens? How much open space will it create for the city?
The Coastal Road project will reduce commuting time by around 70 per cent and fuel saving by about 34 per cent; it will also reduce noise and air pollution. This will also help in creation of about 70 hectare of green/open areas, which will reduce the pollution level thereby, improving the health of citizens of Mumbai. The green space includes cycle tracks, public parks, jogging tracks, open theatre, butterfly garden, biodiversity park etc. There will be underground multi-level car parking to facilitate the public visiting the nearby green or open area. The road will have a dedicated bus lane, which will help to reduce traffic congestion on existing roads which will, in turn, aid safe, faster and low travel cost. The seawall constructed along the coastal road will help in preventing coastal erosion and storm surge.
Recently, a group of architects and urban designers wrote a letter to the Chief Minister and Municipal Commissioner suggesting that all the open spaces that would be created by the project be moved towards the seaside for long-term benefit to the city. Is BMC considering those suggestions?
The suggestions of the Group of Architects and Urban Designers cannot be considered at this stage of the project. The present alignment has been planned in such a way that it fulfills the geometric requirements of alignment as per IRC Code, ensuring suitability for urban high-speed Arterial road with 80-100Kmph speed and technical feasibility of interchanges to connect the coastal road with the existing road network. The project has provision of interchanges at Amarson Garden, Haji Ali and Worli Sea face.
Also, the most important thing is, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance and wildlife No-Objection Certificate (NOC) has been obtained as per present alignment. Now, at this stage, any modifications in alignment will have serious impacts on the project in terms of redoing design works, loss of executed works on major structures, change in work logistics, seeking fresh NOCs from various departments and cost, time and legal implications on this project.
What is the logic behind keeping the open spaces on the city side rather than the sea side?
The very purpose of reclamation in this project is to construct the road on fill instead of stilts/bridges. Open spaces formed are incidental to this as per alignment and design.
How difficult is it to make changes now?
In the current scenario, provision of interchanges to the coastal road is technically not possible…More than 50 per cent of the project’s physical progress has already been achieved as per the present alignment.
It has been discussed among urban planners that the existing alignment of the Coastal Road creates a visual barrier for Mumbaikars and hinders their view of the sea. Is it true?
This is not true.
How will the BMC ensure that there are no commercial developments allowed in the open space in the future?
We have issued a circular in this regard to ensure that no commercial development takes place in the open space in future.
The architects have said the BMC is earmarking 11 meter of space as median on the Coastal Road. Can you explain this?
The 11-meter wide median in the project will be maintained as a green belt and if required in future, additional lanes can be provided.
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