Locals protest against coastal road plan :Hindustan Times (Mumbai)

The coastal road will do little to cater to the needs of commuters but will harm the environment. The traffic survey doesn’t seem to have been done properly, as the two connectors planned will create problems. DARRYL D’MONTE, member, Bandra (West) Residents Association

MUMBAI: After making t he detailed project report (DPR) of the coastal road public, residents’ associations of Bandra have come out in protest against the road.

The Bandra (West) residents association has called for a public meeting on July 19 in their ward to explain the problems related to coastal roads. The residents’ associations are also spreading awareness messages among local residents to put forward their objections before July 27.

Residents are upset with the delayed publishing of the report and with the short period of time given to study such a mammoth report and send in suggestions and objections. Several meetings have already taken place to oppose the coastal road.

Last Saturday, a meeting was held by the fishermen associations to lodge their protest against the project. Experts have earlier pointed out how it would be difficult to manage traffic and how it would have a very bad impact on the environment.

The Bandra (West) Residents Association has also taken an initiative to help residents with drafting objections and pointing out grey areas by creating an email id and asking their local residents to write in with their queries. Certain members of the association have pointed out objections such as impact on natural drainage patterns, flooding and erosion, apart from affecting the livelihoods of fishing communities dependent on coastal resources. They also pointed out that the coastal road would do little to solve the real transport problems or congestion within the city.

Darryl D’Monte, one of the members of the association, said, “The coastal road will do little to cater to the needs of commuters but will cause issues to the environment. The traffic survey doesn’t seem to have been done properly as the two connectors planned will create problems. The time given to study such a huge DPR is too little. We have called for a meeting on Sunday to protest against the coastal road.”