Complaint against Metro over debris on Andheri-Kurla Rd
Clara Lewis,TNN | Jan 3, 2014, 05.29 AM ISTMUMBAI: A criminal complaint has been filed against Anil Ambani, bureaucrats Sitaram Kunte and U P S Madan for their failure to remove debris from the Andheri-Kurla road on which the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro line has been constructed.
The complaint has been filed in the 22 metropolitan magistrate's court at Andheri byNGO WatchDog Foundation and the hearing is posted for January 28. Activist Nicholas Almeida complained the debris had been dumped on the road by the contractors for the Reliance-owned Mumbai Metro One Private Limited. An MMOPL spokesperson said since the construction was over, the road had been handed back toMMRDA in 2012. "Construction debris from other infrastructure sites is being dumped here. We need to check where it is coming from and we will deal with it," Madan said.- Clara Lewis
"As per the Concession Agreement signed between the MMRDA and the MMOPL, it is the obligation of MMOPL to remove debris and keep the entire route free of debris so as not to cause any impediments to the smooth flow of traffic. Further the entire road is marked with potholes and uneven paver blocks," the complaint said.
The complainant has pointed to clauses 8.1 and 8.3 of the Concession Agreement that make it mandatory for MMOPL to adopt good industry practices, remove all surplus construction machinery, material, rubbish, debris, waste and keep the place neat and clean.
. Our responsibility starts from the staircase to the Metro station. The debris is a huge menace. We too have been complaining about it since 2010 and over the past two years have at our expense removed debris on several occasions. This debris is not on account of the Metro work,'' he said adding that debris from other infrastructure project sites was being brought and dumped here with impunity.
K-East ward officer Bhagyashree Kapase said the road was the responsibility of the MMRDA. We have flagged off this problem on several occasions. The municipal commissioner has also raised this problem with the metropolitan commissioner. Not only is the debris a problem, they have even damaged the storm water drains which causes flooding during the monsoon,'' she said.
A MMRDA official said the authority would monitor the metro stretch and ensure that the debris is cleared out and no fresh debris is dumped.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Complaint-against-Metro-over-debris-on-Andheri-Kurla-Rd/articleshow/28304961.cms
