The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration has finally canceled the project of constructing an underground parking lot near Amarsons Park along the Coastal Road. Residents' Association of Breach Candy had strongly opposed the parking here. In the background of this protest, the administration finally withdrew. However, after extensive digging at this place, now the project has been canceled and the contractor has to pay for it. As a result, the cancellation of the project will put the BMC in a difficult position.
The Coastal Road project is 10.58 km long from Princess Street flyover to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sealink. Currently, 95 percent of this project has been completed. The land has been prepared by filling the sea for this project. 25 to 30 percent of this infill land has been constructed as a coastal road. Green areas and civil facilities will be constructed in the remaining 70 to 75 percent of the area, i.e. 53 hectares. It will include toilets, jogging tracks, cycle tracks, butterfly gardens, marine walkways, open theatres, children's parks and playgrounds, police posts, bus stops, footpaths to cross roads, jetties etc.
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In addition, four underground parking lots will be constructed at three places namely Worli, Haji Aali and Amarsons Park. The capacity of these parking lots will be 1,856 vehicles. However, even before this parking lot came up, the residents of Breach Candy area had protested against the parking lot at Amarsons Park. In the month of December, the residents of this place also met the BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani.
While the work of the Coastal Road project is nearing completion, the municipal administration is now focusing on providing other facilities on the infill land. The construction of underground parking lots was also going to start soon. However, as residents of Breach Candy protested against the parking lot at Amarsons Park, the work at this place was stopped. Due to the huge opposition of the residents, the municipal administration has finally canceled the parking project in Amarsons Park.