The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has granted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the construction of the twin towers atop the new Zuari bridge, subject to revised conditions and a scrutiny fee of Rs 5 lakh. The authority has directed the project proponent, Dilip Buildcon, to establish a separate environmental management cell for effective implementation of stipulated environmental safeguards under the supervision of a senior executive.
Conditions and Safeguards
The GCZMA has mandated that funds be earmarked for the environment management plan, which must not be diverted for any other purpose. The authority also stipulated that no traditional access routes should be blocked, and there should be no displacement of people, houses, or fishing activities as a result of the project. Fishing activities must not be disturbed in any manner.
Project Background
The Bhopal-based contractor Dilip Buildcon, which constructed the bridge, has also secured the contract for developing the twin towers. The project has been awaiting CRZ clearance for over a year, causing delays in construction. The GCZMA inspection report had noted that the proposed project falls within mangrove and mangrove buffer zones (CRZ-IA), CRZ-III (NDZ for river/creek), CRZ-IB (water body), and a fishing zone. Consequently, the authority directed the proponent to submit clarifications regarding permissions from the pollution control board and the forest department concerning mangroves and other observations raised in the inspection report.
Project Features
As part of the project, the contractor has proposed a children's play area, toilets, pantry, ticket booth, security cabin, and an administrative building on the ground below the bridge on the Agasaim side, where Dilip Buildcon's temporary office currently stands. A walkway will be constructed from this area to the base of the towers, from where high-speed elevators will transport visitors to the top of one of the two observatories. The proposal states that the walkway bridge will be 120 meters long and 12 meters wide.
Tourist Attraction
The twin towers are being planned as an international tourist attraction, intended to rival iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower. Once completed, the contractor will operate the towers for 50 years, and visitors to the observatories will be charged an entry fee. The construction cost will be recovered through these entry fees.
