The Gujarat government has proposed a new 1,630 km coastal corridor from Umargam in the south to Narayan Sarovar in Kutch.
The government proposes to set aside a buffer area along the highway for industrial and allied activities. The government has already earmarked the first 300 km covering Valsad, Navsari, Surat and Bharuch districts.
The state government has proposed the coastal corridor highway under the PM Gati Shakti Scheme.
This will probably be the longest coastal highway in the country. Of the total length of 1,630 km, a stretch of 140 km will be developed as greenfield coastal area while 1,490 km will be brownfield road.
The corridor will be minimum 10 mtr wide with three driving lanes, while at present, the existing roads are less than five mtr wide.
A fixed area along the coastal corridor will be declared as a buffer area and will be reserved for future development. The estimated cost of the project will be around Rs 2,400 crore and is expected to be completed in three years.
Under the PM Gati Shakti Scheme, a detailed plan has been prepared for first 300 km stretch. The entire corridor is being planned keeping in mind the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) restrictions, forest regulations, etc.