Office, office: How political parties are holding up Mumbai Metro work at Nariman Point

The MMRCL had issued three notices to the eight parties refusing to temporarily vacate their premises

The Metro 3 work at Nariman point may get delayed as political parties are not ready to vacate their offices, which are to be demolished for construction to begin.

Parties have protested, saying the renovation of their alternative accommodations is yet to be completed. (HT File Photo)

The parties have said that renovation of their alternative accommodations, which the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) provided, is yet to be completed.

MMRCL had issued three notices to the eight political parties — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh , Peasants and Workers Party of India , Peoples’ Republican Party of India, Republican Party of India (Democratic) and Samajwadi Party — asking them to temporarily vacate their offices at Barracks, Free Press Journal Road and Nariman Point for work to start on the metro corridor, which will link Colaba and SEEPZ in Andheri (east). MMRCL provided the parties with rented space at Thackersey House at Fort , which they were to use until their old offices were rebuilt at Nariman Point.

All parties are expected to shift to the temporary accommodation except Shiv Sena and Congress, as Sena minister Ravindra Waikar has offered his residence to the party, while Congress is likely to be shifted to either Tanna House at Colaba or Raheja Chambers at Nariman Point. “How can we move out when we don’t have a proper office space?” asked Sanjay Tatkare, NCP spokesperson.

The renovation plan was submitted to the MMRCL on March 24 but even after a month, they have done nothing, he said. Abu Asim Azmi, the president of the state unit of the Samajwadi Party, said that they were ready to shift as soon as they get renovated offices.

“The land has been allotted to the MMRCL by the state government. The order of shifting has been issued by the state government and hence, they would have to oblige,” said a spokesperson from MMRCL.