Bombay High Court clears Madh-Versova cable bridge, allows mangrove felling with riders

The biggest hurdle in the way of the ambitious cable-stayed bridge project directly connecting Madh Island and Versova in Mumbai's western suburbs has now been cleared. The Bombay High Court has granted permission to fell 1,237 mangrove trees standing in the project's path, subject to certain conditions. This clears the way for the Rs 2,395-crore project.

The permission was granted while hearing a petition filed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The High Court made it clear that conditions laid down by various environmental agencies will have to be followed.

At present, those travelling from Versova to Madh by road have to take a long, winding route, passing through Andheri, Jogeshwari, Ram Mandir, Oshiwara and Malad before reaching Madh-Marve Road, and the journey takes even longer if there is traffic congestion on the way. A ferry service also operates between Versova jetty and Madh, but tidal conditions, especially during low tide, affect this service. It is for this reason that the bridge project was proposed, to permanently connect Madh and Versova by road.

Under the project, a 2,064-metre-long, four-lane cable-stayed bridge will be built over Malad Creek, directly connecting Madh Island and Versova. The bridge will further connect to a 27.45-metre-wide Development Plan road and the proposed Coastal Road. The Municipal Corporation told the court that the bridge would provide a direct connection between Madh and Versova while also easing the traffic load on major roads in the western suburbs. The project was also described as important for diverting traffic away from S.V. Road and Link Road.

The Municipal Corporation told the court that the necessary environmental clearance for the project has already been obtained. As compensation for the mangroves affected by the project, a plan has been made to plant 39,000 mangrove saplings on about nine hectares of land under the North Konkan Mangrove Department. The Municipal Corporation also told the court that Rs 1.42 crore has been deposited for the maintenance of these saplings and related work over the next ten years.

The Municipal Corporation claims that the Madh-Versova bridge will reduce the distance between the two areas by about 18 to 20 kilometres. Currently, the journey by road can take up to about an hour and a half depending on traffic conditions. Once the new bridge is operational, the journey will be reduced to just a few minutes, saving around 70 to 80 minutes.

The project will give residents of Madh, Malad and Versova a direct connection between the areas. It is also expected to ease some of the traffic load on New Link Road, S.V. Road and the Western Express Highway.