₹15k crore spent on Mumbai Metro-3: Maharashtra Economic survey
While the project is facing maximum hurdles, of the total expenditure incurred by the state government over Metro projects, 70% has been spent on Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz)
While the project is facing maximum hurdles, of the total expenditure incurred by the state government over Metro projects, 70% has been spent on Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz).
According to the economic survey of Maharashtra tabled during the legislative session on Friday, the state has, till October 2020, spent ₹22,624.29 crores on nine on-going Metro projects in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR). Of this, ₹15,910, or 70% of the total expenditure incurred has been on the 33.5km underground corridor.
While the project has been facing controversy since its inception, it is currently facing uncertainty after the Bombay high court (HC), in an interim order, stayed the transfer of land at Kanjurmarg to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had announced that the state has decided to shift the car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg.
As per the report, the state has incurred a cost of ₹2,470 crore on Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and ₹1,996.17 crore on Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E), which are expected to be operational this year. The state has also spent ₹475 crore on Metro-6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli). The state plans to build an integrated metro car shed for Metro-3, Metro-6, and Metro-4 (Wadala-Thane-Kasarwadavali). However, the HC order has proved to be a major roadblock in the state’s plan. The state also constituted a committee that stated that land at Aarey will prove to be insufficient in the coming years.
The cost of the project has also been revised from ₹23,000 crore to ₹32,000 crore.
A senior official from MMRDA said, “We have approached the HC again to lift the stay. Kanjurmarg will prove to be the best option given land scarcity in the city.”
AV Shenoy from the Mumbai Mobility Forum said that the Centre and the state governments must solve the issue for the benefit of Mumbaikars. “The project is going on well. The only roadblock is the car-shed which is a political issue. The Centre and the state government must have a dialogue to resolve this issue. The more the project is delayed, the cost will increase, adding to the burden of Mumbaiites.”