Decks cleared for start of work on Borivali-Thane twin tunnel

1.5-km four-lane bridge to cut travel time; compensatory plantation slated to come up in Palghar

- Ateeq Shaikh and Shashank Rao

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has cleared a proposal to construct a 1.5-km long, four-lane cable-stayed bridge connecting the areas of Manori, Gorai and Uttan with Marve. Although ferries ply between Marve and Manori currently, there is no direct road connectivity between the areas which forces motorists to take a 29-km detour via Mira Bhayander, with the journey taking up to 2 hours in peak traffic.

The proposal for the cable-stayed bridge was cleared during MCZMA's meeting on December 12. Minutes of the meeting, which became available this week, stated that 45 mangrove trees (Avicennia marina) would have to be axed for the bridge and a compensatory mangrove plantation would be undertaken at Virathan Budruk village in Palghar.

The area of the plantation should be at least three times the area of mangroves affected/destroyed during construction, as per the 2019 coastal regulatory zone notification, the MCZMA clarified during the meeting. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is constructing the bridge, must also take a no-objection certificate from the high court and the mangrove protection cell before commencing work, the minutes noted.