Navi Mumbai: Kharghar-Belapur-Nerul Coastal Road Sparks Local Tensions Over Environmental Concerns

Another infrastructure project by CIDCO has landed in controversy. The proposed 9.6-kilometer Kharghar-Belapur-Nerul Coastal Road is facing resistance from residents in Belapur, especially from sectors 11 and 15.

Locals oppose the use of internal roads for the project, expressing concerns over its impact on their peaceful neighborhood. They claim the road will disturb the beauty of the area, where they've planted and nurtured over 30,000 trees.

The purpose of the Coastal Road is to provide direct access to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport in Panvel. But residents fear that linking major roads to their internal roads could disrupt their lives. They also highlight that any changes to the original layout of these sectors would affect thousands of people.

CIDCO has already invited tenders for the design and construction of the Coastal Road, which will connect the Kharghar-Belapur-Nerul water transport jetty located behind the NRI Complex.

The tension between development and community concerns continues to grow, as residents remain firm in their stance against the project.

On Sunday morning, hundreds of Belapur residents formed a human chain in protest, displaying placards to express their discontent. They were joined by former Airoli MLA Sandip Naik, former standing committee chairman Netra Shirke, and other political parties who have extended their support to the movement. The standoff between development and community concerns continues to escalate.

NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar has written to the Chief Minister questioning the need for this “white elephant” called coastal road from Kharghar which already has wide roads. Moreover, Kharghar and Belapur are well connected by service road, suburban train and metro services and there is hardly any traffic to Nerul Jetty which is not being used at the moment, Kumar said.

Last week, CIDCO issued a tender for the design and construction of the Coastal Road, with an expected completion timeframe of 30 months, including the monsoon season, once the contract is awarded.

In August, CIDCO published a notice regarding the clearance of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) from the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for the road's construction. According to CIDCO, this project will provide direct access to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).

Also Read: Navi Mumbai: CIDCO Invites Tenders for Kharghar-Belapur Coastal Road Project to Boost NMIA Connectivity

The Kharghar Coastal Road (KCR) project, undertaken by CIDCO, covers 9.679 km, with 2.986 km consisting of an existing road. The new road will feature both stilt construction and ground-level reclamation.