Why isn’t Mumbai's Metro II off ground? Reliance Infra complains - DNA - 19/12/2011

Why isn’t Mumbai's Metro II off ground? Reliance Infra complains

Published: Monday, Dec 19, 2011, 9:00 IST 

By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Frustrated with the slow pace of work on the 32-km Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd metro line, top Reliance Infrastructure officials have written to the chief minister detailing how delays by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Central and Western railway authorities have begun to hurt the project. In their 13-page letter sent about a month ago, the officials have said if delays continue, the project will not be financially viable for the R-Infra-led consortium.

R-Infra is the leading partner along with a Canadian company SNC Lavalin in a consortium called Mumbai Metro Transport Pvt Ltd (MMTPL). However, hardly any work has commenced on the alignment. “We have been given only 35% of the total land and construction area (also called right of way), while MMRDA has failed to provide us with crucial car depot land plots at both ends of the metro line-Charkop and Mankhurd. Without the plots, we cannot start work as they are used as casting yards,” says the letter, a copy of which is with DNA.

Other pending issues cited in the letter pertain to the railways. “Although the project alignment crosses the railway tracks at Bandra, Kurla and near Mankhurd, the MMRDA has till date approved only one of the total requirement of four railway crossings,” adds the letter signed by Anil Gupta, R-Infra president and head of infrastructure division.

The consortium has complained that the MMRDA and the state have failed to clear the commercial development right of the area of 27 stations which will be a part of the alignment. “MMTPL is to get 4,000 sqm space on each of these stations. The prevalent development control regulations are under modification since August 2009 and the final regulation is yet to be notified by the government. Any alteration in the scheme of space availability to MMTPL will impact the financial viability of the project, which shall in turn impact the estimates of viability gap funding agreed to between R-Infra and the government or the MMRDA,” says the letter.

While MMRDA officials were tight-lipped about the development, an official on condition of anonymity said an official answer to the letter will be sent to MMTPL soon. “We’ve said we would hand over the land once we obtain the environmental clearances,” said the official.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_why-isnt-mumbai-s-metro-ii-off-ground-reliance-infra-complains_1627467