Mumbai, Oct 1 (TOI): Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday met Union environment and forest (MoEF) minister Anil Dave and demanded that permissions for the Mumbai coastal road and Malad sewage treatment plant projects be expedited. "It has been decided that officials from MCZMA and GoI will sit together within 1 month to take a decision on one last permission for Coastal Road," tweeted Fadnavis after the meeting.

The state government seeks to kick off work on the ambitious Rs 12,000-crore coastal road project, which will connect south Mumbai and Malad, before the code of conduct for the civic elections sets in. MoEF clearance for the coastal road has been delayed as Union ministry officials had sent the proposal back to the state environment body pointing out several deficiencies in the project, which requires reclamation of land and removal of mangroves.

Even the Malad sewage treatment plant project is awaiting an environment nod as there are issues with a few environment impact reports and Coastal Regulation Zone maps. Also, there are no approvals from the central and state pollution control bodies.

Fadnavis was in Delhi for an India sanitation conference. He also met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and appraised him on the security arrangements in Maharashtra post surgical strikes.