Maharashtra: Govt to set up panel to address issues faced by fisherfolk due to coastal road

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Friday said a joint committee comprising experts from Goa’s National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) as well as chiefs of the organisations representing fisherfolk will be set up to address the latter’s concerns about the construction of Worli sea-link connector to the coastal road project.

Fisherfolk in Worli had demanded an increase in the distance between two pillars (navigation span) of the sea bridge connector to 200 metres from the existing 60 metres. They had said the proposed 60 metres would affect their business and may cause accidents. They had also taken their boats to sea as a sign of protest, bringing the ongoing work to a halt. To prove their point, they had even referred to a report by the head of the geography department of Ratnagiri’s Gogate-Joglekar College, Dr Surendra Thakurdesai, according to which the minimum distance should be 160 metres.

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The BMC, which is executing the project, had said the NIO had already said the proposed 60 m width of the navigation span is adequate. “While the project needs to be completed on time, we should also try to ensure that fisherfolk are not affected,” Shinde said. Earlier, Shinde directed that local residents should be taken into confidence before finalising the boundary of Koliwadas as well as before publishing Develop-ment Control Regulations.