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Response: Nitin Killawala
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".....that the railway projects and Metro projects are not listed under schedule of activities/projects in the EIA Notification, 2006 and doe not require prior environmental clearance".
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Major difference between Railway project and Metro project (CBM Route) :
Sr. No. | RAILWAYS | METRO RAIL (CBM ROUTE) |
1 | Operated under Indian Railways Act | Operated under Indian Tramways Act |
2 | Rail tracks are laid on grade (ground level) | Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration |
3 | Rail tracks are rarely elevated in small stretches in the form of rail bridges such as crossing over road junctions, existing rail lines or water bodies. | Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration. |
4 | Vast lands are made available before rail lines are planned and executed.
| Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration |
5 | Stringent safe distances are observed between the Railway Properties vis-à-vis private property owners. | Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration. |
6 |
|
|
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Nitin Killawala : Architect
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Response: Jagdeep Desai
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http://moef.nic.in/modules/project-clearances/environment-clearances/
http://envfor.nic.in/legis/eia/eia-2006.htm
EIA SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR METRO PROJECTS
As is well known, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has made it mandatory to have Environment Impact Assessment done for very large projects, and more specifically, public hearing, see the excerpts below.
From whatever angle it is seen, a metro rail system the size of what is being proposed for Mumbai, is well beyond the size exempt under the notification.
The indicative built up area just for the stations, and commercial complexes is about 1.2 lakh square metres, add to that the coach yards, the viaduct itself, running into tens of kilometres, the figure reaches far more than allowed, affecting the surroundings, areas of influence, as it were, in total.
Those who use it or not, are equally affected.
It is therefore imperative to have had the EIA done in a thorough and exhaustive manner, apart from the standard check list given in the schedule.
After all, it is quite ludicrous to claim, that after the metro is built in ten or fifteen years, commuting travel time will reduce from 90 minutes to 20 minutes.
Quite trying hard to ignore the inconvenient fact that in the ten years that it will take to build this monumental blunder, the travel time which was 90 minutes before th construction started, has taken 150 minutes and more.
This additional 30 minutes either way, means 60 precious minutes of the peoples lives taken away every day for ten years just so that at the end of the day, suddenly we can travel in 20 minutes.
That too, is questionable, because this applies only for those who would use the metro, those relegated and consigned to the road system totally ravaged and brutalised by the metro construction work will still have to negotiate through the maze of columns, station porches, and other construction obstructions of the metro behemoth.
This impact of delay, has totally been ignored by all reports, and the authorities aren't interested to discuss the matter because then all their projections fall flat.
The time, the fuel loss to the Nation, the health of those suffering, are all conveniently kept aside so that the great metro success can be tom tommed.
And what about the massive damage to the underground utilities and services.
Water supply disrupted and contaminated by sewage flowing into water a pipes broken by careless and callously casual work by the contractors totally oblivious to the adverse impact on the neighbourhood.
Add to that the noise of the construction, the vibrations, the case of the clinic at Seven Bunglaows, Versova, Andheri is well known.
Then when huge tracts of mangroves are to be destroyed for car shed, surely, some alarms have to ring.
And when the authorities say no mangroves will be destroyed,the car shed will be built over them on a huge plinth, then our intelligence is being tested.
Mumbai would have been the only city in the World, to have an over head metro rail, and under ground car shed, below Mahalaxmi race course, had the no brain idea of MMRDA been allowed.
Luckily some sense prevailed, but still, the MMRDA's eyes are on prime open land, the Mumbai University campus at Kalina.
Basically, the entire exercise, to move not even a quarter of the total numbers of passengers being transported today by the suburban railway system, after ten years, does not seem to be a good return on investment any way.
Either the work should stop, and authorities should accept their vested decision on over head metro rail, or cut short the losses and go under ground like the rest of the World.
In between we await the EIA.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep DESAI
Architect
Secretary
Founder Trustee
Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs
