The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been given the green signal for Metro Line 2B between DN Nagar and Mandale as the Bombay High Court settled a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) contesting the certificate of no objection (NOC) issued by the aviation authority related to height restrictions near Juhu airport.
The MMRDA coordinated with the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in response to the PIL. The affidavit filed in court mentioned the details of the security measures for the safety of the flyers and the airport. The MMRDA maintained that the NOC was issued correctly, legally valid and in accordance with the Rules of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Height Restrictions for the Protection of Airport Operation), 2015. It also explained the importance of the project.
MMRDA Commissioner SVR Srinivas said: “Infrastructure projects like metro lines that MMRDA undertakes are for greater public benefits and should not be embroiled in such legal battles that lead to delays in project delivery and costs for the treasure. We are grateful that the higher court found the case in our favor and struck down the PIL on the merits. The MMRDA legal team is well equipped to handle such cases and with the results finally coming in, we can now expedite the work.”
Metro 2B is a 23,643 km corridor with 20 stations, which is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 10,986 crore. The deposit of this line will reach Mandale in Mankhurd on 31 hectares of land. This Metro line is divided into two phases. Phase 1 of the project connecting DN Naga and the National College in Bandra will be commissioned by the end of 2024. Phase 2, connecting Mandale and Chembur, will likely be commissioned in June 2025. Once fully Operation, the stretch is expected to see 10.49 lakh daily passenger numbers by 2031. Once fully operational, it will connect three metro lines, monorail and railway stations.
Similarly, the MMRDA obtained an order favoring the construction of Metro Line 4 (Wadala to Kasaravadali, Thane). Indo Nippon Chemical Co Ltd. in 2018 and Shree Yashwant Co-operative Housing Society Ltd in 2019 filed a written petition with the Bombay High Court stating that they were aggrieved by the alignment of Metro Line 4 and further said that the alignment was affecting their respective properties and that the entire execution and implementation of Metro violated legal provisions including the Land Acquisition made under the MRTP Act 1966. The petitioner also demanded compensation of around Rs 301 crore on the basis of a private valuation report.
According to the MMRDA, in the case of the Yashwant Society, the project was delayed by 46 months and the cost escalation was around Rs 1.2 crore. In the case of Nippon, the cost of the project increased by Rs 80 lakh after a delay of 29 months.
Metro Line 4 was launched in 2018 and has exceeded 49% progress. The project was hit due to the COVID-19 blockade and pending litigation related to land acquisition, according to the MMRDA.
The MMRDA executes close to 300 km of Metro works in Mumbai & MMR which is a complex task due to narrow roads, traffic congestion, public services, slums, encroachments, night work etc. In addition, the MMRDA faces huge legal problems when executing megaprojects, leading to escalating costs and time overruns.
