For Mumbaikars, heavy traffic jams are a part of life. It is one of those things that you cannot do anything about. However, those higher in the chain of command, have just sanctioned a new stretch of tarmac. This ambitious project goes by the name of Coastal Road Project. Once finished, it will stretch 35 kilometres and connect Nariman Point and the suburb of Kandivali.
The Bandra-Worli sea link was built at a cost of INR 1650 crore (appx.)
Just like with most large scale construction projects, the Coastal Road Project also came under firing from the environmental community. These two are like the two sides of a coin and just like the metallic clinker, something you can’t do without. The Coastal Road Project got the positive nod from the Ministry of Environment and Forests under some conditions. These conditions state that the Coastal Road Project shall not cause repercussions for coastal and marine life. It is also understood that the project will consume as less of the reclaimed coastal land as possible. There shall not be any commercial activity permitted on this reclaimed portion of land. The green folks have also mentioned that the high-tide line won’t be meddled with.
The Coastal Road Project aims to reduce traffic congestion in Mumbai. (Image for representation purpose, only)
Talking of which, the Coastal Road Project is set to cost INR 8500 crore, five times the cost of the Bandra-Worli sea link (BWSL). That said, BWSL has a total length of 5.6 km. While the Coastal Road Project will be six times longer, at 35 km from Nariman Point to Kandivali. The Coastal Road Project is part of a massive INR 60,000 crore transport infrastructure projects by the state government. A team of experts from the Netherlands will be taking part in this project and the Maharashtra government has signed an MoU with their counterpart in the Netherlands. From commencement of construction to finish, the Coastal Road Project will take two years to be completed.
We are taking this piece of news with a bagful of salt ourselves. For all we know they will never make it, but for now the news does make us feel somewhat happy.
The BWSL construction began in 2000 and ended a decade later in 2010. Thats how much time it took to construct the 5.6 km stretch of road in the sea. So am totally bewildered reading the fact that the whole of 35km will take nothing more then 2 years to complete. I would be really happy to see it happen in that much time frame. Give or take a year more, might be.