The revised draft development plan (DP-34) has proposed a coastal road passing through the iconic Kamla Nehru Park and Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, also known as Hanging Gardens. Local residents stated that they noticed two alignment changes of the coastal road in the patch since the last four months and were still unclear about the final route. One of the two undersea tunnels of the ambitious 33.2km Mumbai coastal road project is likely to see an alignment change. TOI had reported in March that the South Mumbai tunnel, which was to begin at Tambe Chowk and go up to Priyadarshani Park at Nepean Sea Road, may begin 500m ahead of the Princess Street flyover at Marine Lines. The coastal road draft project report had mentioned undersea tunnels from NCPA in Nariman Point to Priyadarshini Park at Nepean Sea Road in south Mumbai. Later, an empowered panel, headed by the chief secretary, decided that there was no need to build a 5.6km tunnel from Nariman Point to Nepean Sea Road. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ( BMC ) then decided to reduce the length of the tunnel to 1km, from Tambe Chowk to Nepean Sea Road. A civic official said, “Talks for starting the tunnel half a km after the Princess Street flyover are in a fluid stage. The pier review phase II has been completed, wherein a review of the two undersea tunnels was done.” The entire review is expected to be done within six months. A DP planner stated that they put forth reservations on suggestion of the officials involved in the coastal road project but added the note that only one of them will be considered after the final plan. The officials had provided them details of both options, including one that will go underground beneath the Hanging Gardens, and according they reflected it in the DP-34. The BMC is constructing the 33.2-km coastal road connecting Nariman Point to Kandivli (W) at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore. It will start the first phase of the project, between Priyadarshini Park and Bandra, within a year. It is negotiating with the central government a few changes to get coastal regulation zone clearance. The coastal road will go underground near Girgaum Chowpatty and emerged at Priyadarshini Park. “We are told that the coastal road will go underneath the Hanging Gardens without affecting the rocks. We expect that new technology the civic authorities are expected to use will ensure that it will not affect the garden and reservoir,” said Indrani Malkani from the ALM of Little Gibbs Road, Malabar Hill.
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