(Courtsey Dar Consultants)
The Bandra-Worli Sea link (BWSL) is an on-going project connecting the western suburbs of Mumbai to downtown proposed to be completed in 2007. The BWSL is a part of the Western Freeway Sea Link (WFSL) project undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). It will be an alternate route for office-goers working in downtown, by-passing the Mahim Causeway.
(Courtsey MSRDC)
The BWSL with a total length of 5.6km, will have 8 lanes, expanding to 16 lanes at the automated toll plaza in Bandra. Two cable stayed bridges with a minimum clearance of 20m (for marine traffic) are proposed. The flyovers will rest on open foundations, and the bridges will rest on pile (drilled shaft) foundations. Lachel Felice and Associates, Inc. have been awarded the geotechnical design and supervision for the project.
In 2001, the Indian People’s Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights conducted a detailed inquiry on the necessity and feasibility of the BWSL. Several environmental issues were raised in the report they presented. Some of those are listed below:
- Encroachment within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
- Negative impact on environment such as degradation of downstream water quality.
- Negative impact on livelihood of fishermen due to reclamation of fishing areas.
- Negative impact on marine ecology
- Possible coastal erosion or silting of downstream water bodies
- Increased traffic to increase severity of air pollution
Technorati tags: bandra worli sea link, bwsl, msrdc, coastal regulation zone, crz
Copyright Kshitija Nadgouda.
Geotechnical Engineering 101 and more... 