Alignment of trans-harbour link will not be changed: Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The alignment of the proposed Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link – a 22km road bridge linking Sewri to Nhava-Sheva – will not be changed, after all. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also MMRDA chairman, has accepted the agency's stand that there is no need for a second study on the impact of the bridge on flamingos.
At a meeting held last week, several wildlife agencies had warned that construction of the bridge would take away the land that the migratory birds require to take flight during high tide.Activists had warned that the pink-hued winged visitors would either die or would stop flocking to the area due to the "adverse conditions".
The Bombay Natural History Society had suggested shifting the alignment of the bridge by 500-700 metres to the south side to reduce the adverse effect on the birds. The authority had expressed its inability to shift the alignment on account of site conditions, but added that it would undertake all necessary mitigation measures.
The CM's office has now said: 'What the CM said is that we have approved declaration of a new 16 sqkm wildlife sanctuary for flamingos in Vashi creek which will be notified as soon as possible…'