Locals have ‘no say’ in Metro: MMRDA

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Monday told the Bombay high court that while deciding the final plan of Metro-2B route it is not obliged to accept suggestions from local residents.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagala was hearing a petition filed by the JVPD Cooperative Housing Association, the Gulmohar area society welfare group, and the Balabhai Nanavati Hosp-ital opposing the proposed alignment of the Metro-2B line.

The petitioners sought for the line to be constructed underground. However, the MMRDA in its affidavit said that the benefits of an elevated Metro line are more than an underground line in terms of finance and time.

On Monday, the court asked the MMRDA whether it had taken into consideration suggestions from the residents before finalizing final plan.  MMRDA said that according to law it has power to take the final call and it is not bound to take suggestions from locals in Metro project. The court kept the hearing on August 24.

On June 23, MMRDA had filed the affidavit which stated “It is impossible to make Metro-2B line partly underground and partly elevated as it entails huge land requirement for location of facilities for going underground and coming over ground.”