Girguam locals jittery about Metro 3 tunnelling

While Girgaum and Kalbadevi residents are demanding a change in the alignment of the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-3 underground corridor fearing the impact tunnelling work may cause to their buildings, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited said it is not feasible to change the alignment at this moment.

Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director, MMRC, said, “There is no plan to change any alignment of Metro-3, and we are working on the construction of the corridor according to the approvals granted by the state and Central government. We will start receiving the tunnelling boring machines (TBM) by this month-end and begin tunnelling by September-October.”

Bhide said that the MMRC’s method of carrying out the tunnelling is scientific and very safe. “We are constantly going to monitor these building while carrying out the work,” he added.

Meanwhile, residents have also cited that the MMRC has not taken them into confidence before announcing that tunnelling work would commence in October for package-2 where JSS Road is located.

CASE HISTORY

Locals residing in old buildings at JSS Road in Girgaum and Kalabadevi want MMRC to shift the alignment of Metro-3 from JSS Road towards the Maharshi Karve Road citing that their buildings could fall during tunnelling work.