Panel to list Aarey alternatives, will leave Metro depot decision to govt: Times Of India

Mumbai:



Committee Will Submit Report Within A Week

All seven alternatives to Aarey Colony , considered by the governmentappointed committee set up to propose another site for the Metro-III car depot, have major drawbacks and may even increase the project's cost. Consequently , the committee has decided against recommending any site for the car depot, leaving that decision to the state government.

The major options before the seven-member committee were reclaiming land at Backbay , taking over a part of Mahalaxmi race course, asking the Mumbai Port Trust for land, clearing a part of Dharavi, occupying a portion of BKC, or Mumbai University's Kalina campus and Kanjurmarg.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner UPS Madan said, “Our report will lay down the pros and cons of the each of this site and it will be for the state government to take the final call.“ The committee is likely to submit its report on the car depot to the state government in a week.

The decision to construct the depot in Aarey Colony was vehemently opposed by citizens groups, who pointed out it would destroy the city's remaining green cover.

The Rs 130-crore contract to build the car depot at Aarey Colony was awarded in July , but work was stalled because of the protests. A senior MMRDA official said, “If the Aarey colony site is closed, it will lead to a loss of Rs 25 crore as compensation will have to be paid to the contractor due to the foreclosure clause. It will be a tough call for the government if it decides to shut work at Aarey as the other alternatives appear less feasible, technically as well as financially .“

He explained, “If the depot is built by reclaiming and from the sea, it will de ay the project by at least five years. Moreover, we are not sure whether the Union environment ministry will allow the reclamation.“

Land owned by the MbPT, which extends right up to Wadala, is considered to be too scattered and has to be cleared of encroachments in certain stretches. Moreover, MbPT estimates a huge increase in cargo traffic over the years and has its own plans to commercially exploit the land. The other alternatives will lead to an extension in the length of the Metro or a change in alignment, which may lead to increase in cost of the project.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation requires at least 30 hectares of land to build the car depot. The 32.5 km long underground corridor will connect south Mumbai to the international airport via the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route.It aims to decongest existing modes of public transport, besides reducing vehicular traffic on the road.