Latest news with #CoastalRegulatoryZone
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Pending coastal maps delay 20 infra projects
Mumbai: As many as 20 infrastructure projects along the Konkan coastline including three passenger jetties in Thane and one in Mulund are stuck due to delays in issuance of Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) maps by the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). The state government has been awaiting maps from the agency for six months to a year in some cases, which has pushed up project costs significantly. Ports minister Nitesh Rane has raised the issue with union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav and the minister has directed the agency to issue the maps within a month. NCSCM is an autonomous research institute under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. Eleven of the 20 proposed projects with a cumulative cost of ₹190.9 crore are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The remaining nine projects with a cumulative cost of ₹58.40 crore are located in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. The delay in execution of the 20 projects due to pending CZMP maps was raised during a recent meeting of the ports department. The state government has paid the fees for the maps to NCSCM, but has been awaiting the maps for more than six months up to a year, officials said during the meeting. They also pointed out that last year, the central government withdrew around ₹220 crore from the funds given to the state government for development of port infrastructure as the money could not be utilised due to delays in project execution. On May 28, ports minister Nitesh Rane wrote to union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav regarding the delay in issuance of maps by NCSCM. 'Without CZMP maps, it is not possible to apply for Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) and environmental clearance. Presently, NCSCM Chennai is taking about a year for preparation of maps, which is delaying CRZ and environmental clearance, and in turn delaying the execution of projects escalating project costs too,' Rane stated in the letter, urging the union minister to direct mapping agency to issue the maps within a month. 'I met the union minister personally and informed him about the projects which were delayed due to pending CZMP maps,' Rane told Hindustan Times. 'He called officials at the institute at Chennai immediately and ordered them to resolve the issue in a speedy manner.' Following Yadav's intervention, the state government had a meeting with NCSCM officials over video-conferencing to resolve the issue, said Rane. HT reached out to NCSCM for comments, but did not receive any response from the agency. Environmental activist D Stalin said CZMP maps are crucial to protecting the coastal ecology. 'The concept of ex post facto clearances has been struck down by the Supreme Court, so now, projects cannot commence without prior approval,' he said. 'Pressuring scientific agencies to finalise the maps hurriedly in a haphazard manner would only create further conflict before the judiciary.' Maharashtra has the maximum number of CRZ violations including due to fabrication of maps, he said, adding, 'This cannot continue.'
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Coastal Road promenade to open on June 15
MUMBAI: The city is set to unveil a major addition to its urban landscape on June 15 when the BMC opens the much-anticipated promenade along the Coastal Road. The 7.5-kilometre, 20-metre-wide sea-facing stretch between Priyadarshini Park at Breach Candy and the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link is expected to be a boon for walkers, joggers and cyclists. Designed with accessibility in mind, the promenade will include 20 underpasses, placed every 400 metres, allowing easy cross-access between the seafront and the opposite side of the road. The BMC aims to open the entire promenade to the public by mid-June as confirmed by a civic official. The 17-hectare public space comprises a five-hectare central median being developed by Tata Sons and a 12-hectare promenade developed by the BMC. This project is part of a larger vision to create nearly 70 hectares of open space along the Coastal Road as laid out in a master plan by infrastructure consultancy AECOM. Approximately 70% of the new space will feature green landscaping while the remaining 30% will include paved walkways, cycle tracks and public seating areas. The initiative represents a significant step toward enhancing Mumbai's public infrastructure and waterfront accessibility. To further develop the parks and green spaces, the BMC had invited expressions of interest (EOI) from corporations under corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines. Five firms—Reliance Industries, JSW (Jindal), Raymond, Vedanta and Torrent Power had responded. Reliance Industries has emerged as the frontrunner, largely due to its prior experience with the Vantara forest development project in Jamnagar. A senior BMC official explained that Reliance met all the necessary EOI criteria, including financial maintenance capacity, capital expenditure capabilities and proven experience in projects of a similar scale in the last five years. In contrast, other applicants failed to meet key requirements. JSW (Jindal) only proposed development of 20 acres while the EOI required a 53-hectare commitment. Raymond lacked experience beyond small-layout recreational ground plots. Vedanta's submitted project experience was valued at ₹125 crore, below the ₹250 crore minimum threshold. Torrent Power cited experience from a partner agency but the BMC requires direct experience from the parent firm. Pending administrative approval from civic chief and administrator Bhushan Gagrani, Reliance Industries is expected to submit its detailed landscape design. The design will undergo review under the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) guidelines and Supreme Court directives. The project is estimated to cost around ₹500 crore, funded entirely through CSR. The entire stretch will be served by nine main access points, including Setalvad Lane, Tata Garden, Mahalaxmi, Lotus Jetty, Haji Ali Juice Centre, Atria Mall and Madraswadi in Worli. While the promenade will remain open 24/7, the adjoining parks will operate from 8 AM to 8 PM daily, providing a new space for Mumbai citizens to relax and reconnect with the city's shoreline.
