The 22km-long Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project has received a 'green signal' from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA). It now awaits clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
The MoEF had issued a clearance back in 2003 for the project, but it was suspended by the National Green Tribunal last month due to inappropriate procedure followed and discrepancies in the marine areas that will be affected due to the project. According to the order, MoEF did not study the impact of this cable-stayed project on marine life.
As a result, it was a setback for the faster completion of the project and the process to get environment clearance had to be restarted for this sea link that will connect Sewri in the island city with Chirle (Nhava) in Navi Mumbai.
"With MCZMA now giving a go-ahead and recommending the project to MoEF, we are hopeful that MTHL will soon get final environment clearance as per the prescribed norms," said an MMRDA official.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, during his visit to Japan in September, had made an attempt to speed up the loan agreement procedure with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Currently, attempts are being made to simultaneously get the green nod and JICA loan agreement signed so that there is no delay, or least possible delay, hits the project.
The bridge has an estimated cost of Rs11,000 crore, 80% of the cost will be financed by the JICA.
Expediting the work for MTHL is crucial as it is linked with the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which is on the fast track. Work for NMIA is scheduled to commence in 2016 and its first phase is likely to be operational by 2019. If the MTHL is not completed by then, there will be severe problems for passengers coming from and headed to Mumbai.
