BMC began soil-testing

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began soil-testing for the proposed tunnel under Girgaum Chowpatty and Hanging Gardens, as part of its Rs 12,000 crore coastal road project, 10 days ago but it is yet to receive clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) under the Environment Impact Assessment notification, 2006, or coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2011.

An office memorandum of the MoEF dated December 12, 2012, stated, “Construction/physical/operation activities relating to the project started at the site without obtaining the required clearance amount to violations under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Environment Impact Assessment notification, 2006, and CRZ notification, 2011.”