UNESCO heritage-Elephanta Caves' wait for electrification is delayed by six more months as the Maharashtra government "forgot" to seek coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearance from the environment department mandatory for any construction work in and around seas.
The project involves laying of cables under the Arabian Sea from Mumbai to Elephanta Island, which is nine nautical miles away. Mumbai-based Cable Corporation of India (CCI) is handling the project.
This ignorance was noticed when the environment department raised a concern in this regard in October 2016 when work on the project started after three months' delay in the tendering process. October was the deadline to electrify the island on a "war footing" as announced by the Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
The state discom Mahavitaran (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited, MSEDCL) which is monitoring the project worth Rs 25 crore, then rushed to hire a consultant from Pune to assess the environmental impact which was submitted to the committee for CRZ in January, top government officials told DNA.
"The project has got CRZ clearance in March. Now we are testing the 7.5 km long cable before it is laid in the sea by the CCI," officials told DNA.
They also cite "inexperience" in dealing with submarine projects for the fiasco. An official said,"This is the first such project for us which involves submarine operations. The fact that we lack expertise and don't have any consultant on board further derailed the work.
The much needed move will also help 1,200 people living in three villages spread over 16 sq km of the island to see electricity for the first time in their life.
When asked about the delay in the work, Satish Kapre, chief engineer, MSEDCL (Mumbai Zone) just claimed,"Testing of the cable is currently on. By the end of May, the island will be fully electrified."
