COASTAL ROAD - Why we don't need it

Roshni Udyavar Yehuda

The proposed Coastal Road is being purported as a solution to relieve the city’s congested roads and thereby reduce air pollution. It is also suggested as a measure to increase open space by sea-front promenades next to the proposed transport corridor.

This is a car-centric solution. If the number of cars have increased by 137% and two wheelers by 306% in the last 14 years in the city, the coastal road will ensure greater growth as the additional road space will induce demand. However, as the number of cars increase, infrastructure such as parking will prove inadequate in the city center. Already monumental structures (10 to 13 storeys of parking in residential buildings!) are being raised for the purpose of housing cars in a city where real estate rates are reaching the sky. The increasing numbers of cars and their parking lots as well as parking along roads and on footpaths, have already de-humanized the city. Even pedestrians walking on footpaths are not safe anymore.

Further, it will defeat the very purpose of decongestion and reducing pollution, as more cars will increase and not decrease pollution in the city. This is also highly unsustainable as the country imports nearly 70% of oil (3.8 million barrels of oil per day in 2013)– mostly for transportation. This exposes the country to the fluctuating global market and dollar. 

International urban best practices show that most countries – Germany, Denmark, UK, Netherlands - are moving towards creating car-free city centers - in a move to humanize them.

The plan for the Coastal Road mentions the increase of open spaces. It is not clear how access to these open spaces will be provided. Many of the present sea-facing properties are likely to have no access to the sea view. Most cities in Europe are now pedestrianizing their water-fronts - putting people before cars. 

 

Copenhagen - car free and pedestrian city centre

With just about 18 exits/ entries planned along an approximate 30 km stretch, it is certainly not suitable for bus transport which needs to halt at regular intervals and will also not be convenient for bus users as feeder transport such as taxi or auto rickshaws will be required to carry people to their final destination.

If the reclamation option is chosen, being the cheapest of the three options, at least 100 m seaward land will be created. This will surely change the coastal ecology, increasing the sea pressure in some areas, decimating mangroves and affecting beach widths. Already the reclamation for the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) has stripped the once verdant beach to a bare minimum strip full of garbage and many coastal structures are facing erosion. In a densely populated city where beaches serve as recreation spaces, we are endangering the ones that are left and creating artificial open spaces at exorbitant costs. This makes neither ecological nor economical sense.

Beach at Shivaji Park is reduced to a strip of garbage

The preparatory studies for the Greater Mumbai DP indicate that 51% of modal share is pedestrian transport, while 25% is train, 12% is bus, 5% is rickshaw/ taxi and 2% is cars. It seems that the entire infrastructure of the proposed Coastal Road on stilts and through tunnels, is targeted towards the 2% modal share of cars while not addressing the maximum modal share of pedestrian transport or even the train or bus. In most parts of the city, footpaths are either non-existent or inaccessible for even people who are not physically challenged. Surely the cost of improving this vital infrastructure for the majority will not be exorbitant.

There is no justification for spending Rs. 8000 crore (perhaps even more) on a transit system that will cater to a minimal population of Mumbai. It is subsidizing the wealthy few at the cost of the majority. Besides, who pays for this, as there is no mention of any tolls? The Bandra Worli Sea Link that was projected to be used by an average 65,000 vehicles per day, is being used by an average 45,000 vehicles per day and the toll which is by far the highest in the state at Rs. 10 per km, does not suffice for its maintenance. The Coastal Road will prove to be a high maintenance project. What are the costs to the exchequer?   

Besides, have natural disasters such as earthquake and Tsunami been taken into consideration in the planning, being a coastal city with a moderate to high-risk vulnerability for earthquake?

Solving Mumbai’s transportation issues is no mean task. We need a multi-pronged approach that considers all sections of the population and all modes of transportation. Addressing the problems of the weaker section and dealing with low-cost solutions, should be the first target.