Around a dozen fishing villages to be impacted by the 43km Versova-Virar sea link have demanded information on impact on their homes and livelihoods. MMRDA is executing the Rs 63,426 crore project. Cooperative societies of fishing villages from Uttan, Vasai and Virar, with Akhil Maharashtra Machchimar Kruti Samiti will oppose the project if the community is not taken into confidence.
“We are not against development but MMRDA must first hold discussions with us and there must be absolute transparency as it is a matter of our livelihoods. Several rounds of discussions were held with farmers much before land was acquired for Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway,” said Devendra Tandel, president of the Samiti. “When the coastal road was being constructed at Worli, fishermen could not ply boats for two years…,” he said.
Uttan resident Bernard D’Mello said the fisheries department has no information on the sea link and they are completely clueless. “Government must hold a dialogue with us. We must know how we shall be impacted,” he said.