BMC Kicks Off Northern Coastal Road Work In Goregaon Final Mangrove Clearance Awaited for Full Rollout
Mumbai’s ambitious Coastal Road Project marked a major milestone as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated construction on a 1.2-kilometre stretch in Goregaon, part of the project’s northern phase. This portion, which lies outside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), is part of Package B spanning from Bangur Nagar to Mindspace in Malad.
The northern phase of the project is designed to connect Versova in the western suburbs to Bhayandar, encompassing interchanges, elevated roads, and twin tunnels. The alignment crosses land and creeks, with a large part falling under CRZ jurisdiction, requiring multiple layers of environmental and legal clearance.
BMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) inspected the Goregaon site on Wednesday and instructed that all work be confined strictly to non-CRZ zones. He also reviewed ongoing developments at other critical locations such as Versova, Andheri, Lokhandwala, and Malad Mindspace.
Earlier this month, the civic body secured Stage I (in-principle) approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for diverting mangrove land—one of the crucial hurdles for the project’s progression. The next step involves seeking permission from the High Court, without which actual work in CRZ zones cannot begin. Once granted, BMC will move toward obtaining Stage II (final) approvals from the MoEFCC.
Divided into six packages from Versova to Dahisar, the coastal road is one of Mumbai’s largest infrastructure undertakings. With the foundation work now underway in Goregaon, the project edges closer to transforming the city’s western coastline, promising smoother traffic movement and enhanced connectivity.
