Stay on Coastal Road work lifted

Rider: Only reclamation, no construction, SC tells BMC

In a relief for the BMC and a shot in the arm for the Uddhav Thackeray government, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the orders of the Bombay High Court which had, in July, stalled the work on its Rs 14,000-crore dream project -– the Coastal Road -- which is expected to connect south and north Mumbai.

The orders, however, only allow the BMC to continue with reclamation of the land; the civic body cannot start any construction at the site, till further orders.

Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde stayed the high court orders, which had held as illegal, all permissions obtained by the civic body for work on the project.

The bench was seized with an appeal filed by the BMC challenging the orders of the Bombay High Court, wherein Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog had stayed the construction activities of the project, saying it was not a 'dying need' of the city.

The Shiv Sena-controlled BMC, which is the nodal agency for the project, and Uddhav, who had conceptualized the coastal road project, have a good reason to breathe easy. Ever since the apex court had granted a stay on July 16, three months before the Assembly election, the project was incurring a daily loss of Rs 4 crore to Rs 5 crore.

Thackeray’s close confidant and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde told the FPJ, ‘‘It is CM Thackeray’s dream project which will help ease traffic and reduce pollution in Mumbai. The coastal road will become a lifeline for Mumbaikars.’’ He said the apex court’s ruling was a big positive which will enable them to complete the project expeditiously.

The 29.2-km coastal road seeks to reduce congestion on the Western Express Highway by improving connectivity between Marine Drive in south Mumbai and Borivali in north Mumbai. Nearly 1.3 lakh cars are expected to use the road daily.

The project has faced resistance from citizen groups, environmental activists, and the fishing community in Worli Koliwada on the potential damage it can cause to the environment.

BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has strongly defended the coastal road project as only 11% of Mumbai’s area is under roads. He also said reclamation would protect the city against rising sea levels. According to him, the coastal road project is the only public space which will cut across the streets of Mumbai.