No digging around Metro 3 without permission

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation has declared a 50-meter radius around the Metro 3 project as an 'influence zone', requiring prior permission for any development work to prevent damage to water pipelines.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) has declared the area within a 50-meter radius of the Metro 3 project as ‘influence zone’ and mandated that no digging or development work can be carried out in such zone without prior permission from the authority. The decision was taken to prevent the puncturing of water pipelines due to digging by builders and residents.

HT Image

Metro 3, connecting Seepz and Cuffe Parade, has two tunnels of 6.35-metre diameter that are about 20- to 22-metre apart and 17- to 25-metre under the crust. On Wednesday, the MMRCL published a notice stating it is mandatory for property owners, landlords, societies, associations, and similar entities within the 50-meter influence zone to obtain approval from the director (planning) of MMRCL before commencing any development/ redevelopment including drilling of tubewells, sinking of wells, construction and demolition, geotechnical investigation, excavation, and laying out any infrastructure. The notice warned offenders of legal consequences.

Unauthorised digging/ excavation has caused at least three major instances of leakage in water pipelines in the recent past. “It is great that MMRC has taken this step as we have a lot of trouble plugging holes in water tunnels,” said an official from the civic body’s water works department.

“All properties within 50 metres of the metro line must take our permission. We don’t want to endanger our lines,” said an MMRC spokesperson.