The mosque at Postal Colony, Chembur, will not be demolished as the viaduct of the Mumbai Metro 4 is high enough, according to authorities.
The Sunni mosque, situated on the service road of the Eastern Express Highway, is one of the structures along the right of way of Mumbai Metro 4. The metro corridor is being built between Wadala and Gaimukh in Thane and will go through Ghatkopar, Mulund, Teen Haath Naka, and Kasarvadavli.
Discussions have been ongoing between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and mosque representatives about the metro line’s construction.
“We do not require the mosque to be demolished as the metro viaduct is elevated and is above the height of the mosque. We conveyed this to the mosque representatives, who have given us their consent,” said an official.
Piling and pier construction work is expected to commence on this structure in the next couple of months.
About 45% of the Metro 4 and 4A stretches of 32.32 km and 2.7 km, respectively, is ready. However, work on the car depot for these two metro lines is in limbo because of stiff opposition from Mogharpada village residents at Ghodbunder Road.
This is not the first occasion in which the authorities have ensured that there is minimal impact on religious and other structures while executing infrastructure and transportation projects.
In 2018, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation reduced the extent of tunnelling by a few metres to avoid passing beneath the Atash Behrams of Wadiaji and Anjuman at Jagannath Sunkersett Road in South Mumbai. This arrangement was for the underground Colaba – Bandra – SEEPZ Mumbai Metro 3 corridor.
