Mumbai: BMC seeks consultant to acquire clearances to build six bridges

The BMC will construct the bridges in the Western suburbs

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is trying to rope in a consultant to get it environmental and other clearances required for the construction of six bridges in Coastal Regulation Zones across the western suburbs. The project, for which there was no response from contractors to tenders floated earlier, will roughly cost the BMC over R2,000 crore, but the final estimation is still pending.

The BMC will ask consultants to come forward to draft a report on environmental damage that might be caused due to the construction, and mitigation measures for the same in case. The appointed consultant will also have to take all the other required permissions for the project. All these bridges will cross over a creek, nullah or the sea at certain locations and so environmental clearances will take time, revealed civic officials. The project also involves a high level of mangroves destruction but their numbers are yet to be ascertained. The consultant who will be appointed will be paid about Rs 1.25 crore.

These bridges include the ambitious Madh to Versova bridge, Marve to Manori, and Infinity Mall Road to Lagoon Road, etc. The Madh to Versova bridge has been on paper for over a decade and is yet to be taken up due to resistance from the local fishing community.

A BMC official said, "There has been strong opposition from citizens to the Madh to Versova project but it is possible to build it according to a feasibility study and so we want the consultants to take the necessary permissions. According to the preliminary estimation, which is yet to be finalised, the construction of the six bridges is likely to cost us over R2,000 crore."

Last year, in March, an expression of interest was floated for contractors to come forward and show interest in constructing the bridges. But, nobody came forward as the contractors did not want to wait for clearances and delay the project, said officials. It was after this that the BMC started looking for consultants to obtain permissions from various authorities. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was floated but there was no response.

Now, the BMC administration is tweaking the tender document and is only asking the consultants to come forward and acquire the necessary environmental and other clearances. The BMC will take on the responsibility of drafting relevant reports related to the project. A senior official from the bridges department, said, "We have now asked the consultants to take all the requisite permissions and will take care of other draft designs and studies to get the consultants to come forward. We have already given the file for re-inviting consultants to our senior authorities and the tenders will be floated again once approved by the civic commissioner."

The bridges that will be constructed

1 Between Madh and Versova
2 Between Marve and Manori
3 Between Infinity Mall and Lagoon Road
4 Between Ramchandra Nullah and Malvani Bridge
5 Between Oshiwara bridge and Malad creek
6 Daravali

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