Apna Mumbai Abhiyan, an umbrella organisation of resident groups, environmentalists, transport analysts, etc. on Thursday aired its opposition to elevated form of Metro rails being planned in Mumbai and want it to be reversed to an underground Metro network.
Apna Mumbai Abhiyan, an umbrella organisation of resident groups, environmentalists, transport analysts, etc. on Thursday aired its opposition to elevated form of Metro rails being planned in Mumbai and want it to be reversed to an underground Metro network.
Among the various points of arguments put forward for an underground version, some included increase of air and noise pollution levels during construction of elevated Metro lines, overground line being a short term solution, footpaths will be lost to stairs, etc.
Additionally, though erecting an elevated Metro is cheaper than underground version, but former requires more maintenance as well as increases the overall cost of civic infrastructure. The over road Metro corridors also displaces more people as compared to its alternative.
"Having a Metro, that too elevated cannot be and should not be election performance indicator for faster construction. We are not against Metro rail, we welcome it, we just want it to be underground," said Nitin Killawala from Apna Mumbai Abhiyan. This is a mass transport system, planning has to be done for the benefit of the people that will travel for a decade, added Killawala.
The united group of individuals and organisations now plan to meet the state authorities to press for their demand of underground Metro lines in Mumbai, "which includes Dahisar-DN Nagar-Bandra-Mankhurd, Dahisar East-Andheri East, Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavli and Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg lines," said Hansel D'Souza from Apna Mumbai Abhiyan.
If their demand is not met, "We would file a Public Interest Litigation," spoke Ashoke Pandit another member from the group.
Starting from 2008, the residents from western suburbs had been fighting for an underground line. Their demand was finally met with in 2012, when the then chief minister Prithviraj Chavan took a final call. The state authorities, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority had started working towards implementing an underground corridor between Dahisar-Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd. But six months ago, the state government did away with the underground format stating that elevated is cheaper and faster to complete.
The umbrella body has claimed that the shift in decision for elevated Metro network in Mumbai was arrived at by the state government without holding even a single public consultation. However, they aired their satisfaction over Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation's plan for underground Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro line.
COMPARATIVES
CONSTRUCTION COST
Elevated / Per Km: Rs375 Cr
Underground / Per Km: Rs690 Cr
MAINTENANCE COST
Elevated: Rs5.9 Cr in 2021 to Rs9.60 Cr in 2031
Underground: Rs4 Cr in 2021 to Rs6.60 Cr in 2031
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