Mumbaikars are all set to lose their unobstructed sunset view from Juhu Beach. Even as the chief minister is yet to take a final call on the cancellation of the Worli-Haji Ali Sealink contract, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has received the ministry of environment and forests’ (MoEF) clearance for the 10-km long Bandra-Versova Sealink.
The MSRDC had five options to connect Bandra and Versova — a coastal road that would go underground at Juhu Beach, a coastal road on stilts with a tunnel at Juhu, a coastal road partly away from the coast and partly along the coast with a tunnel below the beach, a bridge 900 metres inside the sea, and lastly, a coastal road till Bandstand followed by sea- link till Versova. The development corporation chose the fourth option, which is the costliest (`3,665 crore) as there will be “no reclamation and minimum damage to mangroves”.
The environmental clearance reads: “There would be permanent loss of about 150 sq. m. mangroves and 50 sq. m. temporary loss during construction in Versova and Carter connector”. Traffic dispersals are planned at Joggers Park and Juhu Koliwada for this option.
The clearance also states that the resident groups and NGOs are satisfied with the project, a claim that Rishi Aggarwal, an environmentalist and a resident of a Western suburb has refused. He said, “We did oppose the coastal road, but this isn’t nice in any manner. It is only promoting usage of private vehicles.” For fishermen, there will be space for navigation channel at four locations, namely Bandra, Chimbai Road, Khar Danda and Juhu Koliwada.