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Girgaum to meet Marine Drive soon

Plan includes artificially nourishing the beach and extending it on Marine Drive at a cost of Rs 200 crore

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It may take a few years for the actual work to begin as the number of consents required is huge
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Mumbai's Girgaum Chowpatty may finally get a bigger, better avatar as the state government mulls extending the beach further towards Marine Drive. Though the project was conceptualised by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), it was undergoing a re-think as the stretch comes under the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT). The agency also had doubts about monetisation and logistical issues like availability of high-quality sand. However, sources from the state government told DNA that "Marine Drive was a probable site for funding under the second tranche of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Program (SCPMIP)." An official confirmed, "We may finally get a go-ahead for the site."

Sources said the plan included artificially nourishing the iconic Girgaum Chowpatty beach and extending it further on Marine Drive at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. The beach will be taken further south on the Queen's Necklace till the Marine Drive flyover with the ungainly tetrapods and rocks being replaced. The length of the existing beach will also be extended through artificial nourishment to ensure uniformity.

According to the MMB's original plan, this will lead to the creation of an around 1 km longer and 200 meter wide beach with a sand retention structure and offshore reef, covering a third of Marine Drive. Apart from the beach nourishment, a groyne to hold the sand and artificial reef may also be installed, though the final contours of the proposal will be decided in the detailed project report (DPR).

"After the financial consents come through, the detailed project reports will be commissioned. The actual works may start a few years later as the number of consents involved is huge," the source explained.

SUSTAINABLE COASTAL PROTECTION

  • Aims at controlling erosion at vulnerable spots like beaches and sea-shores due to tidal waves and currents through environment-friendly soft solutions.
     
  • 12 sites, including Marine Drive and Mahim Bay, are being considered under the around $100-million programme.
     
  • It will include a 60 per cent loan component with the state government pitching in 30 per cent and the remaining being raised through PPP interventions
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