PROJECT NOTE

Sion- Special State Highway is very important highway connecting Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Konkan & Goa. It is an important road connecting the traffic coming from – Pune expressway NH4, NH – 4B, JNPT Road NH17. Carriageway caters heavy traffic of around 1,60,000 PCU/day. Work of improvement of Sion-Panvel Special State Highway from Baba Atomic Research Center Junction Ch. 140/690 to junction Ch.115/800 is proposed under BOT.

The projects consists of concreting of 5+5 lanes road along with construction of Pedestrian Underpasses, Foot Over Bridges, Construction of Service roads in flexible pavement, Street lighting, Signage’s etc. from Kalamboli Junction i.e. from Km.115/800 to Km.140/690. To provide signal free passage for through traffic it was proposed to undertake construction of 3 new flyovers at Junction, Sanpada Junction & Kamote Junction and duplication of flyovers at taloja & CMLR Junctions. Widening of Taloja Creek Bridge & Jui Creek Bridge, Providing additional lanes to Flyover on both sides etc works are also include The toll collection centre at was approved in the Cabinet infrastructure committee on 18th June 2009.Without disturbing the mangroves present within the 60m R.W.O. of PWD, the proposal of construction of 9+9 lane staggered tollway at Ch.118/025 for traffic moving towards panvel & 9+9 lane staggered tollway at Ch.119/475 for traffic moving towards Mumbai instead of 15+15 lane.

Some works of phase – I are incomplete due to pending work of Minor Bridge and Box Culverts at LHS of Kamothe, Lhs of Service Road at Kamothe, work of widening of Taloja Creek Bridge & service road & due to non-availability of land for Service road at etc. Due to incomplete work at kamothe the LHS road connecting kamothe to Mumbai cannot be opened to traffic, thus causing inconvenience to local kamothe residents as they have to travel a longer distance to go to Mumbai. Accordingly during that period correspondence for issuing of NOC from forest department was going on and in this regard a letter was received from Deputy Conservator of Forest Mumbai mentioning about denotification

The forest area required for Sion-Panvel Special State Highway Improvement Project, at Village - Kamothe, District - Raigad is 0.0800 Ha. for which denotification of forest land is necessary. Thus proposal under Forest Conservation Act 1980, is hereby submitted.

The project is in public interest and its implementation within time limit is necessary. Precaution has been taken to utilize minimum Forest area, during construction of the project. As the area required is minimum and there is no other alternative but to seek the approval of Central Government to carry out non- forestry works in forest area.

The alignment has been done in such a way to utilize minimum mangrove area and there is no alternative to the alignment proposed.

Authorized Signatory