PWD minister Eknath Shinde's announcement to dig a 10km tunnel under the Yeoor hills and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to cut travel time between Thane and Borivli to 10 minutes has invited sharp criticism from environmentalists.
The project was conceptualized by Shinde after discussions with senior forest officials and a team of consultants.“It is in its nascent stage. I announced it after speaking to forest officials and experts, who have responded positively . I will meet the chief minister shortly to discuss the project and appoint a consultant to study the tunnel's feasibility,“ Shinde told TOI.
The proposal is for the tunnel to open near the Yeoor foothills, close to the privatelyowned water park Tikuji-niWadi at Thane, and end on Western Express Highway at Borivli. Minister Shinde said this at the inauguration of one arm of the Kapurbawdi flyover on Monday .
The announcement invited the ire of environmentalists.Most say Mumbai and Thane are among few metros in the world to have a forest within city limits and nothing should be done to disturb the balance.
Debi Goenka, trustee and founder of Conservation Action Trust, said, “The project is likely to affect ecological balance. Politicians might feel that making an underground tunnel won't affect the environment, but it is not true. Noise during drilling holes in the mountains is enough to disturb wildlife. The government should stop coming up with such concepts. Moreover, will someone tell us who will fund this project? The state definitely does not have the financial muscle to build such a link.“
Others have expressed concerns on how the minister could be so causal in his announcement even though there is no study to back the project.Residents around Tikuji-ni Wadi said the forest department has denied them permission to repair a 500m road leading to their complex and so the announcement of the tunnel has taken them by surprise.
“I wonder how tunnelling underneath the forested mountains can be talked about so casually? No feasibility studies, no seismic risk analysis, no assessment on the effect on wildlife and soil stability. Not to mention the financial aspect. Without any idea of these, it is naive to even propose tunnelling under SGNP ,“ said naturalist Shardul Bajikar.
A few activists said they won't oppose the tunnel if the authorities demonstrate the project won't affect wildlife. “If the government can clearly demonstrate that the underground road will not affect ecology , there is no reason to object to the project,“ said D Stalin, director, Vanashakti.
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