Took permission for metro work in CRZ areas, says MMRC

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which filed its reply to a petition filed by two Cuffe Parade residents, on Wednesday, stated that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SIEAA) has granted it permission to construct stations in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas for some stations for Metro III, on April 7. However, no copy of the permission letter was given. The court had directed MMRC to produce inspection of all relevant documents and directed it to produce all plans to show where the work was going on.

“We pointed out to court that SIEAA is not the proper authority to grant such permissions plus how could permissions be granted for a prohibited activity?” questioned the activists present for the hearing. The court directed the MMRC to give the activists the inspection of all relevant documents to enable them to file their reply. “We clarified that the work was on inside the park which is CRZ-3 No Development Zone area,” explained Zoru Bathena, one of the activists present for the hearing.