Eknath Shinde Visits Mumbai Coastal Road Tunnel to Inspect Leakages, Gives Go-Ahead to 2nd Phase
Eknath Shinde Visits Mumbai Coastal Road Tunnel to Inspect Leakages, Gives Go-Ahead to 2nd Phase
The inauguration of this phase, earlier in March, marked a significant milestone in the city’s infrastructure development efforts. However, the emergence of leaks has underscored the challenges ahead, particularly with the monsoon season looming.
29th May 2024
Leakages detected along the first phase of Mumbai’s ambitious coastal road project have prompted concerns as the city prepares for heavy rainfall. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally assessed the situation on Tuesday, focusing on leaks at two to three expansion joints within the southbound tunnel near Marine Drive.
The inauguration of this phase, earlier in March, marked a significant milestone in the city’s infrastructure development efforts. However, the emergence of leaks has underscored the challenges ahead, particularly with the monsoon season looming. Authorities are likely to prioritise swift remedial action to ensure the safety and integrity of this vital transportation artery amidst the impending inclement weather.
The Chief Minister, addressing reporters post-inspection, highlighted the discovery of leaks in two to three expansion joints along the coastal road. He proposed utilising polymer grouting to seal these leaks and emphasised the necessity of applying this method to all 25 joints on each side of the tunnel to prevent water seepage, especially during the monsoon season.
Shinde further assured that the repair efforts would not hinder traffic flow on the coastal road, emphasising that motorists would experience no inconvenience during the repair process.
He announced that the second phase of the coastal road, spanning from Marine Drive to Worli, is scheduled to be accessible to traffic by 10th June.
Eknath Shinde promptly conducted an inspection of the tunnel following the circulation of a viral video on social media depicting water infiltration into the southbound tunnel of the Mumbai Coastal Road.
Contrary to public concerns, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) clarified that the water seepage was occurring through pre-established expansion joints. They assured that by applying injection grouting through these joints, the seepage issue would be effectively addressed.
Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra minister, criticised the current state government for the prolonged timeline in completing the tunnel work. He asserted that had the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) retained power, the coastal road could have been finished and made accessible to the public by December 2023. Thackeray additionally levelled allegations of corruption against the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde, claiming that they deliberately delayed the project and inflated costs following the downfall of the MVA government.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader asserted that the first phase of the project was hastily inaugurated to accrue political credit ahead of the impending elections. He pledged to initiate an investigation into the delays if the MVA regains power, insinuating that there were underlying motives behind the rushed inauguration.
