The proposed Kanjurmarg site for Mumbai Metro car shed is not feasible for more than one line, according to information revealed by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) under Right to Information Act (RTI).
In its reply to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who has sought the information, the MMRDA has also attached a letter by Sunil Kumar, Under Secretary to Government of India, to Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary.
“MMRDA's consultant SYSTRA, Contractor/Consultant DMRC (Delhi Metro), MMRDA, Government of India in its meetings, reports of 2021, stated shifting of car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg is a disastrous decision,” Somaiya said.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, a joint venture SPV of Government of India and Government of Maharashtra, which is implementing Mumbai’s first fully underground Metro corridor -- Metro Line-3, which is Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ line, had planned a car shed at Aarey Colony, located off the Western Express Highway.
The BJP-Shiv Sena government between 2014-19, then headed by Devendra Fadnavis, moved ahead to make a car-shed for Metro Line-3 and started construction.
However, the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government scrapped it and zeroed in on the alternate site of Kanjurmarg salt pans but it was struck in litigation.
Now with the Eknath Shinde-led government in place and Fadnavis back as Deputy Chief Minister, he has once again revived the plans to have the car shed in Aarey.
Published 12 July 2022, 10:22 IST