The Coastal Regional Zone (CRZ) status for the proposed construction of a ground support bridge at the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport by the Mumbai International Airport Private Ltd (MIAL) across the Mithi river has come under the scanner.
The plan conceived in early 2016 is under review. In February 2016, a discrepancy found and noted by The National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai, (NCSCM) in the planning maps submitted by MIAL.
According to the report by NCSCM, the construction of the bridge breaches coastal regulatory zones. To maintain the delicate ecological balance, all construction projects are supposed to adhere to these boundaries and are required to seek approval under Environmental Protection Act, 1986.
According to the NCSCM report, the proposed bridge breaches zones 1, 2, 3 and 4. It also crosses the tidal limits of Mithi river, which falls under CRZ 2. Upon further deliberations authorities confirmed that the plans of the proposed bridge across the river are partly situated within the CRZ region, as per the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan.
Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation said, “There are numerous small and big nulhas [drains] which meet in the Mithi river. The river is of chief importance during the monsoon as excess water is channelised through it and it later flows to meet the Arabian Sea.”
Mr. Pimenta said the clogging of river would have calamitous implications for the city as was witnessed during the dreadful floods of July 2005. He said, “The task of MIAL is to ensure that while building the ground support bridge it does not obstruct the flow of this river.”
Mr. Pimenta said the river was already very polluted and further degradation would no longer make it self-sustainable.
