Promenade pathway on Aksa beach caves in many areas
This seawall was constructed despite severe opposition by the environmentalist, due to the indiscriminate, illegal and unnecessary construction being done in the ecologically fragile CRZ 1 lands on Aksa Beach
Mumbai: Parts of a 600-metre promenade pathway in Aksa beach at Madh, vehemently opposed by environmentalists, has started caving in due to tidal water flow within a year of its construction.
NatConnect Foundation, which has been opposing the wall built by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), has now appealed to the chief minister Eknath Shinde to demolish it claiming it has also violated the environmental clearance conditions.
“The anti-nature pathway built under the guise of checking erosion of the beach, has violated the conditions imposed by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Zone (MCZMA) barring construction in the high tide line (HTL),” said BN Kumar, director, NatConnect.
Kumar, who along with Mumbai activist Zoru Bathena, had moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a statutory body in India that deals with expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection, against the promenade pathway and said the structure and the walking path developed in the eco-sensitive zone had developed huge holes and cracks.
“We opposed the promenade pathway because it is dangerous to interfere with the natural flow of tides,” he said and remarked that now it is proved that the promenade pathway and the wall interferes with the tidal water flow. “We, therefore, appealed to the CM to demolish the ill-conceived wall and allow free flow of tides,” he said.
The anti-erosion wall and pathway made of cobalt stone was built at a cost of ₹20 crore. “This seawall was constructed despite severe opposition by the environmentalist, due to the indiscriminate, illegal and unnecessary construction being done in the ecologically fragile CRZ 1 lands on Aksa Beach,” said Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation.
“In the current monsoon season, the pathway made of cobalt stone has caved in at several places, thereby risking the lives of the persons who frequent the pathway for their daily walks.”
When contacted, Tushar Patole, executive engineer, Maharashtra Maritime Board, said the wall has not collapsed. “Due to heavy rainfall and high tide for the past few days, the pathway has been damaged at some places. As soon as we learnt of it on Wednesday evening, we sent the agency and our technical staff to repair it. It will be done in the next 5-6 days,” said Patole.
On the large holes visible under the wall, Patole said, “Pipes placed to drain the water have led to the creation of upward pressure resulting in the holes. We are handling it technically and rectifying it.”
Patole said that it was the NGT that ordered that no work should be undertaken at the beach which resulted in delays. “Hence, the work was incomplete before the monsoon and some portions have now been damaged. We have undertaken it as there is a risk factor involved since the area is open to the public. Instructions have been given to only repair the damaged areas and not undertake any further work.”