SunCorp

The very first phase of Mumbai Metro, the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar link, may be delayed if the authorities cannot get around a speedbreaker that has come in the form of problems in acquiring a 30-acre plot of land at Versova. That land is needed for a carshed, a very important component of the project.
    The seriousness with which the authorities are treating the problem shows what is at stake. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) joint commissioner Milind Mhaiskar said all efforts were being made to get the land for the project. And Mumbai Metro One director Krishna Maheshwari said that the team was looking at contingency plans to start work on the Metro if the land was not acquired and allotted soon. “We are looking at alternatives to ensure that work begins soon,’’ he said. Mumbai Metro One is the special-purpose vehicle floated for constructing the Metro Rail project; it comprises the MMRDA, Reliance Energy Limited and Connex of France as joint-venture parteners.
    The car-yard is needed for parking the rakes as well as undertaking repairs and maintenance work on them. A second yard for the rail link has been earmarked at Ghatkopar.
    The Mumbai Metro project was inaugrated with much fanfare in June 2006 and the project was awarded to the Mumbai Metro One Consortium on a buildoperate-own-transfer (BOOT) basis. But work — which was supposed to begin after the monsoon — was yet to start because of the problem the authorities were facing in acquiring the 30 acres of land at Versova, officials admitted on Tuesday. The land in question is now under litigation and efforts are on to sort things out.

    Maheshwari was confident that the issue would be settled and that alternatives could be tried out so that no major delay took place. “Looking for alternatives has become necessary as the contracts for civil work, rolling stock, signalling equipment and several other issues related to construction are ready and will be issued once the green signal on the land is obtained,’’ Maheshwari explained. MMRDA officials pointed out that all other major components of the work were on schedule. The ground survey has been done and plans for shifting the utilities have also been finalised; 3,500 project-affected persons have also been rehabiliated. The corridor from Versova to Ghatkopar is now being cleared of obstacles. “There are some structures on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route at Subhash Nagar (near Asalpha) which are yet to be moved but this is not a major problem,’’ an official said.
    The MMRDA has unveiled plans to rehabilitate shopkeepers, being displaced near Andheri station, in a shopping mall situated nearby. Most of them have accepted the offer to shift.
ON TRACK
The ground survey and survey for shifting of utilities have been completed on time.
Around 3,500 project-affected persons have been rehabilitated along the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.
A detailed project report has also been completed on schedule, claim officials.
There has been no delay in getting approvals from the government of Maharashtra.
THE ROADBLOCK: GETTING LAND FOR A CARSHED
    30 acres of land at Versova was earmarked for the carshed.
    But the proposal ran into problems during acquisition of land as it was under a private owner and fell within the purview of the Urban Land Ceiling Regulations Act. Insiders say the land is owned by a big builder.