Mumbai: Within a week of the state government issuing an order to hand over 15 hectares of Kanjurmarg land for Swami Samarth Nagar-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli Mumbai Metro 6, the Mumbai Suburban Collector issued a letter of undertaking for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to take possession of the controversial land that has become a political talking point.
Sources in MMRDA informed that an order was issued on Monday to pass on the possession of the land from the state government to them.
Hereafter, legal formalities and procedures will be undertaken for the development authority to take charge of the controversial plot that witnessed ownership claims from various quarters.
MMRDA to submit letter of undertaking to Mumbai Suburban Collector
Now, MMRDA will have to submit a letter of undertaking to the Mumbai Suburban Collector, stating it will take the responsibility of any liabilities that may arise in the future with regards to making compensation to any of the affected parties or plot owners, as per the outcome of the ongoing litigation.
The MMRDA now intends to float tenders on a war footing to get the car depot for the 15.31km metro rail constructed. It is likely to invite bids in the next fortnight and intend to initiate construction within six months. However, it will take at least 30-36 months for the car depot to be operational.
Metro line to have 13 elevated metro stations
So far, about 70% of the civil works are through the alignment connecting western Mumbai with the eastern suburbs and will have 13 elevated metro stations. A part of the route on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road will have double decker structure to accommodate elevated road.
While the issue related to the plot’s ownership is being battled in the courtroom, the political war of words between the Thackeray family and Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government has begun with the former stating that the BJP had blocked the handing over of the plot to the Maha Vikas Aghadi, else the construction work would have got initiated a few years ago. The BJP has responded to Aaditya Thackeray being “too naïve” to have made a remark without studying the details on the subject matter.
