Ashish Shelar Writes To CM Fadnavis, Calls For Helipad Near Bandra Sea Link For Coastal Road Emergencies
Ashish Shelar Writes To CM Fadnavis, Calls For Helipad Near Bandra Sea Link For Coastal Road Emergencies ( Representative Image )
Mumbai, February 7, 2026: Maharashtra Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs, Adv. Ashish Shelar, has formally urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take urgent action to strengthen emergency response infrastructure on Mumbai’s critical transport corridors, including the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Versova-Bandra Coastal Road and the larger Coastal Road network.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Shelar referred to the recent gas tanker accident on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway, which led to a massive traffic disruption and left commuters stranded for over 36 hours without food and water. The incident, he said, exposed serious gaps in emergency management systems on major transport routes, causing severe hardship, particularly to women and children.
Highlighting the risks of similar emergencies on Mumbai’s vital coastal and sea-link corridors, Shelar warned that managing accidents, fires or natural disasters on infrastructure such as the Coastal Road — which includes tunnels and sea-based stretches — would pose serious logistical challenges. He pointed out that rapid evacuation of the injured, swift movement of security forces and timely delivery of emergency services could become extremely difficult in such scenarios.
To address this, Shelar strongly recommended the immediate establishment of a helipad near the Bandra Reclamation area, close to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. He noted that sufficient land is already available for the project and that the matter has previously been brought to the attention of MSRDC officials.
According to Shelar, the helipad would enable the use of air ambulances for the rapid evacuation of injured persons during emergencies on the Sea Link and Coastal Road. Nearby hospitals, including Lilavati Hospital and other major healthcare facilities in the area, would become quickly accessible through aerial emergency services. This would also improve coordination among disaster management authorities, police, fire services, NDRF and other emergency response agencies.
He further stated that such infrastructure would significantly strengthen Mumbai’s long-term Emergency Response Plan, making the city better prepared for large-scale disasters in its densely populated and economically critical urban environment.
Shelar has requested the Chief Minister to take immediate decisions on the proposal and issue necessary instructions to the concerned authorities for swift implementation.
