Mira-Bhayander: Villagers seek MBMC help in campaign against MMRDA over extension of Metro-9 rail route in Rai gaon

Taking their protest against the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) a step further, inhabitants of Rai, Murdha and Morwa villages, have now sought the intervention of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) to support them in their campaign against the extension of the Metro-9 (Dahisar to Bhayandar) rail route and construction of the car shed in Rai village.

A delegation of villagers under the aegis of the Bhumiputra Samajik Samanvay Sanstha (BSSS) led by Ashok Patil met Mayor- Jyotsna Hasnale on Monday. The delegation handed over a memorandum to the mayor requesting her to take up a resolution in the upcoming general body meeting mooting amendment under Section 37 (1) of the Maharashtra Town Planning Act, 1966 to reduce the width of the 30-meter wide road to 50 feet which has been proposed in MBMC’s development plan.

Villagers contended that clearance by the MBMC’s general body and subsequent approval to the resolution from the state government authorities will ensure that the proposed construction of the metro rail route through the said villages will become practically impossible. The mayor has assured the needful, villagers said.

Approved in May-1997, the DP’s existence came to an end in 2017, necessitating a fresh 20-year vision document for the twin-city till 2037. However, the DP has been caught in bureaucratic red tape for the past five years. Concerns were raised on the choice of land and its acquisition process, which according to the villagers, is not only bound to destroy nearly 526 homes but also the faulty location of the route in a thickly-populated area will spell a nuisance to the residents while posing a threat to the livelihood of local farmers.