HC to MMRDA: Submit latest Metro-3 plan that excludes children’s park in south Mumbai

The Metro-3 project is a 33-km underground line connecting SEEPZ in Andheri to Colaba.

The Bombay high court on Wednesday asked the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to submit amended plans and approvals for the Cuffe Parade Metro-3 station that exclude an area designated for a children’s park.

The Metro-3 project is a 33-km underground line connecting SEEPZ in Andheri to Colaba. (HT FILE)

The court was hearing two petitions filed by south Mumbai residents Mina Verma and Pervin Jehangir, complaining about deforestation and lack of environmental clearances for the project, a 33-km underground line connecting SEEPZ in Andheri to Colaba.

The directive came after the petitioners’ counsels, senior advocates Iqbal Chagla and Janak Dwarkadas, complained that the Mumbai Metro

MMRDA’s counsel Kiran Bagalia, however, denied the allegation and said the petitioners were referring to the old plan.

Bagalia said the authority had submitted a revised plan that excludes the children’s park on May 18, 2016 after the MoEF’s response.

She said the initial plan was to use 8,696 square metres of land for the station, but in the amended plan, the authority excluded 3,785 square metres including the area for the park and received an approval from the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) for the amended plan.

She said the Metro work is being done on land where a proposed road in the Development Plan is to come up, and not the park.

Since MMRDA has already submitted the amended plan and approvals, the court asked them to submit plans that showing that the children’s park had been excluded from the Metro route and also the approval.

The HC also said that if needed, it would appoint a court commissioner to visit the site, inspect the plans and inform the court whether the children’s park or any part it had been destroyed.

While petitioner Mina Verma had moved the court claiming green cover had been destroyed at Churchgate, Colaba and Cuff Parade for Metro work, Pervin Jehangir had raised questions about use of public land for construction of the Metro-3 line.

He contended that the MMRCL could not exercise powers conferred upon railways to use any public land, and that the Metro Railway Act requires the contractor to acquire specific rights even to use public land temporarily.

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