While the basic groundwork for Mumbai’s second metro is shaping up, the project is likely to turn out to be a boon for the commercial space hunters.
While the basic groundwork for Mumbai’s second metro is shaping up, the project is likely to turn out to be a boon for the commercial space hunters.
As per the plans of the state urban development department, each of the 27 metro stations will be having huge commercial space at the concourse level.
While state government officials claim it to be necessary to reduce the viability gap, residents have expressed their opposition to the idea, fearing chaos once the project takes.
The state government issued an order in August 2009 which says that each of the 27 metro stations on the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd corridor will be given permission to have a maximum of 4,000 sq metre (approximately 43,000 sq feet) space for commercial development.
“While the notification has a condition that the minimum horizontal clearance open to the sky between the edge of the station and adjoining building has to be 7 metres for the right of way greater than 27.45 metres and 6 metres for the right of way less than 27.45 metres, officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) wanted to be extended up to 3 metres; something which would end up eating most of the facade of the existing structures,” alleged architect Nitin Killawala of the Juhu Vile Parle Residents Association.
Killawala further argued that the notification has various loopholes which will get exposed during the actual construction.
“For instance, the notification makes parking facilities as well as open spaces mandatory. Where will the government get this space from? Further, most of the stations are on the roads, so it may be chaotic if one looks at the narrow right of way (construction area) throughout the alignment,” alleged Killawala.
A senior MMRDA official said that the notification was still a long way from implementation.
“In any case, if you see the notification, it clearly says that this commercial utilisation is to reduce the viability gap. In fact, the concessionaire was asking us to give the commercial space for a lump-sum. This would have enabled him to en-cash on certain areas like Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) where the want of office space is more. One must appreciate that this demand was refused by MMRDA,” said the official.
“While going for redevelopment, they could have occupied more space vertically. However, in any case, this matter also is under scrutiny at the moment,” said the official requesting not to be quoted.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}