High-rise plans scrutinised for twin coastal road tunnels

07 Dec 2023 CW Team

Two prime development projects on Little Gibbs Road at Malabar Hill, which were planned to be constructed above the twin coastal road tunnels, are currently under scrutiny for safety measures. This evaluation follows a tunnel collapse at Silkyara, during which 41 miners were trapped for 17 days. The coastal road department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has requested the building proposals department to assess the safety of two high-rise projects, each with 3-4 storeys of basement.

A letter requesting a safety review has been dispatched to Aakar Architects and Consultants and Barai Architects. These two firms play the role of 'liaisoning consultants in simplifying approvals for real estate projects.'

A no-objection certificate (NOC) had been granted by the coastal road department to Aakar Architects and Consultants on June 15, 2022, for an 18-storey building with a 4-level basement. Similarly, Barai Architects received an NOC on November 2, 2018, for a 32-meter high, 7-floor building with 3 levels of basement. The redevelopment is taking place on plots where two bungalows once stood. One plot is owned by Reliance, and the other is owned by Godrej and Boyce.

The BMC's action was prompted by a complaint from citizen-activist Santosh Daundkar. He asserted, "Malabar Hill is an original tekdi (hillock). Originally, the British had built on it, but over the decades, due to development work and environmental changes, the tekdi is becoming weaker." He added, "The coastal road is Mumbai?s dream project. The two projects are being constructed over the tunnel. Heavy loads and even more digging could endanger the tunnel, and that is why I have filed a complaint."

Infrastructure Urban

07 Nov 2025

Welspun Enterprises Wins 910 MLD Panjrapur WTP Contract

Welspun Enterprises (WEL), the infrastructure and energy arm of Welspun World, has secured a major contract from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to design, build and operate a 910 million litres per day (MLD) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at Panjrapur, Maharashtra.Valued at approximately Rs 31.45 billion, the project encompasses end-to-end civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation works, including the construction of a treated water sump and pumping station. Of the total value, nearly Rs 11.56 billion is allocated to Operations & Maintenance (O&M), with an additional..

Mitsubishi Power Wins Boiler Upgrade Contract for O Mon 1 Plant

Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, (MHI), has been awarded a contract to support the oil-to-natural-gas fuel conversion at the O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant in Can Tho, southern Vietnam. As the OEM of the plant’s existing boiler, Mitsubishi Power will supply key equipment—including new gas burners—and implement a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce NOx emissions and help the plant meet stricter environmental standards.The O Mon 1 facility includes two 330 MW units that commenced operations in 2009 and 2015, with all major equipment or..

Liebherr’s 10,000th XPower Wheel Loader Joins BERGER’s Fleet

BERGER Rohstoffe GmbH has welcomed the 10,000th Liebherr XPower wheel loader to its operations at the Schlag granite quarry in Passau. The milestone machine, officially handed over at Liebherr’s Bischofshofen plant in May 2025, underscores the long-standing partnership between BERGER, Liebherr, and the Beutlhauser Group. Equipped with Liebherr’s signature power-split travel drive, the new L 580 XPower is already delivering strong results under demanding quarry conditions.At the Schlag quarry, BERGER Rohstoffe processes approximately 200,000 tonnes of Bayerwald granite annually into high-qu..