Bridge over troubled waters

The battle against the already delayed Worli-Bandra sealink is hotting up. The 6 km link, being constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), has residents of Worli up in arms. They are campaigning to shift the exit towards the Worli Dairy and are also looking at legal options against the corporation. Championing the cause of Worli residents is former India cricket captain Ravi Shastri, who lives in a building along the promenade. In a letter to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Shastri asks to protect the well-maintained boulevard. "It is the request of all citizens to bring the exit of the link at the end of Worli Seaface -- near Worli Dairy where there are no residential buildings, or behind a nearby restaurant, which would be environmentally appropriate." Residents led by restaurateur Sunil Kapoor are meeting the CM today. "We are hopeful that our plea will be heard and the seaface is protected by shifting the exit," says Kapoor. The alignment of the bridge was changed from the earlier Worli village further down to the Pratiksha building even though the Statutory Development Plan and Coastal Zone Management Plan continues to show the exit point at Worli. With the cost of the project jumping from Rs 600 to Rs 1,300 crore, residents are asking why fresh tenders weren't invited. "The Maharashtra Public Works manual clearly states that if the scope of the work increases by 15 per cent, fresh tenders are to be called for," informs Kewal Semlani, local resident and activist. Lawyer and former IPS officer Y P Singh, legal advisor to the residents, points out, "The high cost of the project due to lack of competitive bidding will be borne by the motorists who will have to pay higher toll." However, Anil Lakhina, MD and VC of MSRDC is unruffled. "The new alignment is duly approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). The high cost is due to the delays, change of rates in cement and steel costs," he adds. Lakhina lashed out at the residents stating that no one wanted to bridge to land in their backyard.