Expert panel flags possible damage to Vaitarana dam, defers clearance to Vadhavan-Samruddhi e-way link road

The Expert Appraisal Committee of India's Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change deferred clearance to the Tawa-Bharvir road project connecting the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway with the Vadhavan port, due to risks to the Vaitarana dam, which supplies water to Mumbai.

The current alignment of the proposed road lies close to the Vaitarana dam; the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) must explore alternative alignments to minimize impact on the dam and eco-sensitive areas.

The project would affect approximately 212.16 hectares of forest land and pass through eight villages within the Eco-Sensitive Area of the Western Ghats, and the EAC formed a sub-committee for site inspection.