Metro’s second line project may get derailed
Chittaranjan Tembhekar, TNN Sep 17, 2012, 06.19AM IST
MUMBAI: The 2016 deadline for the Metro's second line, even officials associated with it admit, is a will-o'-the-wisp, impossible to catch. Three years after then president Pratibha Patil attended a bhoomi pujan, launching the project, no work on it has begun. Indeed, such are the obstacles in its path that many believe Metro-II may end up a non-starter.
Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) got the task to build the 32-km elevated Metro line from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra in August 2010. The company was recently warned by MMRDA of action if it failed to start work at the earliest. But RInfra officials claim the reason for the delay is the government itself, which has been unable to obtain permissions and acquire land.
RInfra official point out that no environmental clearance has been received to build car depots on CRZ land in Mankhurd and Charkop, except on stilts, which is costly. Also, washing of cars at the depots, even if on stilts, has been prohibited. There are other problems. No land has been identified for the casting yard and the civil aviation ministry has not given its consent to the stretch near the Juhu airport.
"No rights have been awarded to commercially exploit the areas along the route, as per the agreement, because the government is yet to modify the development control regulations. Further, extra high voltage electricity networks at 13 locations have not been shifted," said a source.
Senior architect P K Das said building an elevated Metro in a city like Mumbai is an ill-conceived idea. "A dense, congested city, with high pollution and lack of open spaces, cannot afford an elevated route," he said. "Lessons should be learnt from Metro-I, where lack of space not only delayed the project but also put safety at risk. The government should immediately cancel the elevated Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line and build it underground."
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