The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority or the MCZMA has given the green light to construct a bridge linking Manori, Gorai and Uttan with Marve. The project, approved on 12 December, aims to eliminate the current 29-kilometre detour via Mira Bhayander that motorists face, which can take up to two hours during peak traffic. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about the Malad-Marve bridge.
Malad-Marve Bridge Gets Approval From Coastal Zone Authority
According to an article that was recently published by the Hindustan Times or HT, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or the BMC is tasked with the bridge’s construction. The bridge will be cable-stayed and will stretch across 1.5 kilometres.
However, it must meet several environmental conditions before commencing work. These include obtaining a no-objection certificate from both the high court and the mangrove protection cell. In addition to this, it also requires the implementation of a mangrove densification plan in collaboration with the mangrove cell.
The project requires the removal of 45 Avicennia marina mangrove trees. To compensate, the authorities must undertake plantation work at Virathan Budruk village in Palghar, covering an area at least triple the size of the affected mangrove zone. This is stipulated by the 2019 coastal regulatory zone notification.
Are Gaothans At Risk Because Of The Bridge?
However, the proposal has met significant resistance from local communities. Residents, particularly those from Dharavi Beth island, have expressed concerns about the bridge’s impact on traditional livelihoods, including fishing, farming and toddy-tapping.
As per PropNewsTimes, an environmental activist who participated in discussions between the BMC and local fishermen highlighted that the four-lane bridge would significantly disrupt the area’s tranquillity. Of particular concern is the planned demolition of houses in the gaothans (urban villages) of Manori, Kulvem and Gorai.
The existing single-lane road infrastructure in these areas would require substantial modification to accommodate the proposed four-lane bridge, leading to displacement concerns among residents. The BMC must now allocate suitable land near the project site and provide the necessary funding for environmental management before proceeding with construction.
Also Read: 533 Metre-Long Bridge In Brazil Collapses, Tanker Carrying Sulphuric Acid Falls Into River; 1 Dead
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