Locals from Juhu and Versova are planning to form a massive human chain at Juhu Beach on Sunday morning protesting against a tunnel to be built beneath it for the proposed Rs 12,000-crore coastal road.
"Both these Juhu and Versova beaches are our precious and a unique open space in our open spaces starved city of Mumbai that is visited by millions but sadly there is continuous attack on these beaches as projects are being pushed that would take away the beach for construction works and cause conditions under which the beach will be eroded like other beaches," shared activist and film maker Ashoke Pandit adding that they also plan to create more awareness amongst locals about the effects these mega projects will have on the beaches as even eminent architects like PK Das will also be joining them.
Infact experts have maintained that the coastal road under which a sea tunnel not far from the coastal edge of Juhu and Versova beaches has been planed will entail massive construction on the beach at both ends of the tunnel of kilometre long ramps along with high sea walls to prevent flooding of the tunnel and as a result not only the sea will be severed at both these ends but turn the central areas of the beach into a confined bay. The adverse impact of sea current and tidal patterns due to such forced changes in the coastal character will arrest the natural sand deposition process, thus leading to erosion of the beach within a very short period of time.
"Its not only this but also the proposed plan of expansion of the Juhu airport by building a runway across the beach into the sea, splitting the Juhu beach into two parts that also is threatening the beach and hence we decided that as a community we need to be out on streets telling the authourities that we will not allow our Juhu and Versova beaches to be destroyed in this manner," shared Pandit adding that they have asked people to start gathering at 8am at Juhu beach near Mahatma Gandhi statue.
The entire movement will be supported by groups like Save Open Spaces, Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group, 3. Juhu Citizen Welfare Group
