Uttan-Virar sea link gets green nod
The BJP-led Mahayuti government is fast-tracking the project to enhance connectivity to the Vadhavan port mega-project in Palghar.
The proposed sea link, which will feature three connectors, at Uttan in Thane district, and Vasai and Virar in Palghar district, was submitted to the MCZMA on April 9 and was cleared on July 11. State environment secretary Jayashree Bhoj said the proposal would now be placed before the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for approval.
The Uttan-Virar sea link's connectors will claim 15.39 hectares of forest land covered in mangroves, in addition to 2.5 hectares of reserved forest land, in the eco-sensitive zone of the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. MMRDA will also acquire 208.6 hectares of private land for the project.
Documents with MMRDA reveal that 9,075 trees will be impacted by sea link's connectors. Of these, 1,868 trees will be axed, 1,612 will be transplanted and 5,595 will be retained. They also show that 8.71 hectares of mangroves will be impacted by the Uttan connector and 6.68 hectares by the Virar connector. Transmission lines and a water pipeline will also have to be diverted.
The Versova-Virar sea link project was originally planned from Versova to Virar. However, since the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is implementing the North Coastal Road and Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road (DBLR), which connects Versova to Bhayandar along the coast via an alternative route, the proposed sea link will connect Uttan to Virar.
The project includes a 24.25-km-long sea bridge from Uttan to Virar. It will run parallel to the coast, at a distance of 1 km. It includes three connectors to improve regional access – the 9.32-km long Uttan (Mira-Bhayandar) connector, starting at an interchange near Uttan beach and connecting to Mira-Bhayandar via the main road near Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose ground.
The Vasai connector will be 2.5 km long, connecting the sea link to an interchange at Way Side Amenities.
The Virar connector is an 18.95-km extension to Virar, starting near Arnala beach. An interchange will connect to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
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