Mumbai Metro 2 to wait till civic polls are over
The city’s longest metro line and the second, the 32-km Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd metro line, may soon be the worst-delayed metro project in the country.
The government has claimed that the first metro line, Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar, would be completed by November next year.
With the civic elections around three months away, sources in the state government have confirmed that the chief minister has decided not to start work for the second metro line before the election process is completed.
With the civic elections around three months away, sources in the state government have confirmed that the chief minister has decided not to start work for the second metro line before the election process is completed.
While it has been over two years since the bhoomipujan for the alignment, the opposition to an elevated metro by the residents living between Bandra and Andheri has been quite vocal. “The chief minister has decided that the government cannot go against the residents before the elections as this can hamper the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party during the civic elections,” said an official from the urban development (UD) department.
“Moreover, there is a public interest litigation against the second metro in the Bombay high court. Hence, most likely the construction will only start after the civic elections,” he added.
Elections are not the only reason for the metro line delay. The ministry of environment and forests has refused to grant permission to construct a car depot on the land identified at Charkop.
Elections are not the only reason for the metro line delay. The ministry of environment and forests has refused to grant permission to construct a car depot on the land identified at Charkop.
“There is a parallel plot being identified. The washing of the rakes will be done on this plot while the rakes will be parked on the original plot,” said TC Benjamin, principal secretary, UD department. He refused to comment on when the work would start.
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