Irritated over being caught in regular traffic jams caused by innumerable incomplete infrastructure works in the city? So is the World Bank. Concerned about the slow pace of the Rs5,127cr Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), WB has warned the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to speed it up.
WB officials said they have now set up a number of ‘triggers’ for the various agencies to complete the project on time. The bank, which is partly funding the project, is here for its half-yearly review.
A meeting was held on Thursday at Mantralaya along with agencies that are part of the implementation. MUTP task team leader of WB, Hubert Nove-Josserand, said though the project is a success on the rehabilitation front, a lot was left to be done. “The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) is moving too slowly. The colonies need to be handed over to BMC. Also, a number of issues pertaining to grievances of project-affected people need to be addressed,” Josserand said.
There are some concerns about the rail component too. “It is evident that the decision to import wheels was delayed. Now, there are no wheels to construct new rakes,” Josserand added.
He, however, praised MMRDA for resolving the issue of Mhada buildings in Tilak Nagar to be razed to make way for SCLR. MMRDA additional metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivas said, “There aresome issues, but we will resolve them.”
WB officials said the project was already given one extension (from December 2009 to June 2010) and MMRDA wants to ask for another (up to June 2011 or Dec 2011).
“The decision to extend the loan will be taken only after April,” a WB official said.
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