Maharashtra’s State-Appointed Panel Fails To Find Any Suitable Plot For Metro 3 Car Shade Other Than Aarey 

Members of the state-appointed Saunak Committee have found every other alternate site other than Aarey for the Metro 3 car shade to be either “environmentally unsuitable” or unavailable at a “reasonable cost”, Times of India reports.

The panel led by additional chief secretary Manoj Saunik assessed places like the Kanjurmarg plot, SRPF Ground at Goregaon, Aarey Colony, the Mumbai University plot at Kalina, Pahadi in Koregaon and even Exhibition Ground at BKC.

Moreover, the lands at Colaba, Mahalaxmi Race Course and Backbay Reclamation were also looked after for the purpose. “There is no alternative site available for the car shed for Line-3 which could be selected which is environmentally suitable and available at reasonable cost. The committee, therefore, recommends that MMRCL be allowed to proceed with the car shed construction at the present site in the Aarey Milk Colony,” the committee report read.

It added, “MMRCL also be asked to take additional possible measures to expedite the work of the depot to make up for the time lost due to the litigations and otherwise.” The Bombay High Court last week stayed the suburban collector’s decision to allocate the Kanjurmag plot for the car shed. The Saunik committee ruled out the Backbay location due to social and environmental issues whereas it stated that the Metro 3 tunnel has already been constructed at Kalina and BKC.

It noted that the land’s cost will be very high in BKC and it has also been set aside for the terminal of the bullet train project. In case of the race course, only the area for horse stables could be reserved for a depot whilst a 12-hectare plot in SEPZ Andheri was found to be too small for the project.

“Bifurcating depot requirements in two individual plots and accommodating them in Kalina and BKC is not possible as tunnels in this reach are already constructed. Any change in the constructed tunnels for joining it to the depot would require dismantling of both up and down tunnels at multiple locations for making two separate connections between the two tracks; and two separate connections with the depot connector,” the committee clarified.