Metro rail work set to begin in January

Come January next and the much touted Rs2,356 crore metro rail project by Reliance Energy-led Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd between Ghatkopar and Versova will be into execution mode. The construction work at Versova for its 12.5 km long first-phase between Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova is likely to begin by January next year.

“The last impediment in the acquisition of 35 acre land at Versova, presently restrained under urban land ceiling (ULC), will hopefully be cleared during the winter session of Maharashtra legislature,” revealed Joint Metropolitan Commissioner Milind Mhaiskar. According to him the implementing firm has already ordered the rolling stock for the project and is expected to break the grounds anytime in January 2008.

When asked whether the Versova land, proposed for setting up metro rail’s car depot, and the Sarvodaya Hospital land near Ghatkopar had been acquired, Mhaiskar said the bill scrapping ULC Act is likely to come up during the Nagpur session and should pave the way for the acquisition of the land in question. He said the Sarvodaya Hospital authorities, too, had agreed to allow the use of the land.

According to Mhaiskar any surplus vacant land under ULC can also be extended for public projects by issuing transferable development rights (TDR) and that the land would well be in MMRDA’s pocket even if the legislature delayed ULC abolition. Mhaiskar said the second leg of the metro rail project between Colaba and Charkop was not much embroiled in acquisition controversy.

Mhaiskar cited the recent example of Oshiwara land where the resettlement and rehabilitation were done under MMRDA’s Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) by offering TDR. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has done feasibility study for the project.

According to the MMRDA Joint Project Director, Dilip Kawathkar, the Rs650 crore government share for the first-phase of the project is also expected to be released soon. “Either the government of India will extend Rs650 crore or it may share half of the amount with the state government,” Kawathkar added. The joint venture project between Reliance, 74  per cent, and the government, 26 per cent, is being developed on build, operate, owe and transfer (BOOT) basis.