8,000 sign up against second Metro line | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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8,000 sign up against second Metro line

Hindustan Times | ByZeeshan Shaikh, Mumbai
Jan 26, 2009 01:21 AM IST

THE 31.87-KM Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line, the longest in the new public transport network proposed for the city, has run into opposition from citizen activists, reports Zeeshan Shaikh.

THE 31.87-KM Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line, the longest in the new public transport network proposed for the city, has run into opposition from citizen activists.

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Residents of some areas through which the line will run are demanding the elevated Metro plan be scrapped in favour of an underground corridor.

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Financial bids for the Rs 6,192-crore project are to be submitted in February and implementing agency Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is finalising the details of the route, has shown no inclination to make the drastic change demanded.

Activists claim the project was announced without taking residents into confidence and they were not told about the proposed alignment — originating from Charkop, the line will follow the alignment of Link Road and Linking Road up to Bandra.

“This line will affect thousands,” said Aftab Siddiqui, chairperson of the Khar (West) Advance Locality Manage-ment. “We are not against development; the government can build an underground line.”

Activists say the alignment as planned will affect nearly 73 buildings in case of an elevated line from Bandra junction to Santacruz police station.

Till December 3, nearly 8,000 people had filed objections to the project. Activists also claim the authorities are yet to finalise the line alignment.

“We would like to sit with them and sort out the matter,” said Nitin Killawala, JVPD resident association member. “We have sent letters to the Metropolitan Comm-issioner, but have got no reply.”

Killawala’s association had filed a Right to Information query seeking to know the line alignment and station positions, but the MMRDA says it is still to fully finalise the alignment.

“Charkop-Bandra-Mankh-urd has an ideal alignment, which will cause minimal problems to residents,” said Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.

“There are some issues in areas where the Linking Road is missing, and we are looking into these.”

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has categorically said no to any change from the elevated route for the second Metro line.

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