Kanjurmarg Metro 6 car shed over Eastern Express Highway, flood level

The clarification followed a complaint lodged by environmentalist Debi Goenka with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. In the complaint, Goenka asserted that the Maharashtra government was actively seeking to authorize the building of metro car sheds and low-cost housing on salt pan lands situated within the boundaries of the low tide line and the high tide line. This categorization placed these lands under the CRZ IB category.

Goenka further remarked that there was another proposal to construct public housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana within the same vicinity. He cautioned against permitting such constructions under the pretext of public infrastructure, as he believed it would trigger a rush among developers to exploit Mumbai's salt pan lands.

He pointed out that salt pans are situated between the high tide line and the low tide line, falling within the CRZ IB category as defined by the CRZ notifications of 2011 and 2019. Hence, he insisted that any activity contradicting the guidelines of these notifications should not be permitted on salt pans.

Salt pans play a crucial role in preserving the coastal areas' geomorphological stability. They function as absorbent buffers, soaking up rainwater and serving as the final line of defense against flooding in the city. He stressed that the susceptibility of a city like Mumbai, prone to high tides and seasonal monsoon floods, would amplify if these salt pan lands were repurposed. He cited the warning of BMC chief Iqbal Chahal, who had already forecasted that by 2050, substantial portions of the city might be submerged due to rising sea levels.

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