The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has called a public consultation to quell opposition towards Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Mumbai Metro 5
The event will be held on Friday morning at Niyojan Bhavan in Thane’s Collector Office.
Construction work began in 2018
The construction work on the project formally took off back on December 18, 2018, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the bhoomipujan (ground-breaking ceremony)
The construction work is progressing in phases since the Orange Line has been facing opposition from various quarters.
When the 24.90km project took off, there was opposition from locals between Bhiwandi and Kalyan. As a result the project was split into two phases, the first being Thane-Bhiwandi and the second between Bhiwandi and Kalyan.
Initial plan had car depot between Bhiwandi and Kalyan
Initially, the car depot was planned to come up between Bhiwandi and Kalyan, but resistance from people meant officials going back to the drawing boards to tweak the project’s design.
Substantial civil construction progress has been made along the first phase, but having a car depot to make the Mumbai Metro 5 operational remains a distant reality. Though the MMRDA has zeroed in on a land parcel at Kasheli to create the depot facility, it also had floated tenders to ensure the work can take off soon after the land acquisition. Yet the opposition from the inhabitants has meant MMRDA not getting the land.
MMRDA invites people to participate in consultation
If this plot is handed over to the MMRDA, then it would be possible to make 12.70km of Mumbai Metro 5’s first phase operational. Else the corridor will remain an elevated viaduct not coming into use for anyone.
Hence the MMRDA has published an advertisement stating, “The people having an interest in this project are invited to participate in the consultation.”
People are also upset with MMRDA’s approach towards taking the public into confidence. One of the arguments is that the MMRDA is holding such consultations over five years after the project was designed and put into bidding. Ideally, this process is undertaken prior to the project getting kick-started.
Plan altered and sent to Maha govt after disapproval in 2nd phase
Due to disapproval in the second phase, the plan has been altered and sent by the MMRDA to the Maharashtra government for ratification and approval. With the revised engineering plan, there will be eight metro stations – seven elevated and one underground – in the second phase. The first phase between Thane and Bhiwandi has nine stations. At Dhamankar Naka-Temghar, the underground portion will be 3.5km and then emerge to be elevated for the rest of the 9.67km route up to Kalyan Railway Station and the Kalyan APMC.
A vehicular underpass of 470m is also proposed at the Dhamankar Naka flyover location in Bhiwandi. For the entire 24.90km line, the car depot has been planned at Kasheli. A tender has been floated to get the car depot constructed at an estimated cost of Rs472.02 crore.
