Locals take on MMRDA over Metro-II

Even before the city gets its metro, a controversy has already arisen over the second route of metro. Residents of H (west) ward have objected to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) starting digging work for soil testing from Bandra junction to Santa Cruz (West) for Metro-II.

The residents are irked as the authority has undertaken the work even though the matter is sub judice in the Bombay high court.

A writ petition was filed by Anandini Thakoor, president, H (west) federation, and Aftab Siddique, chairperson, ALM 144 in Linking Road. The petition, which comes up for hearing on Friday, was filed to know why the MMRDA can’t find an alternate route for Metro-II as the current route would spoil three main arterial roads - Juhu Tara Road, Linking Road and SV Road.

“Metro-II is sub judice so who has given MMRDA the permission to do soil testing. They are supposed to file a reply in court about the Metro-II plan, which they haven’t done yet. How has MMRDA assumed that the judgment will be in their favour?” said Siddique.
Meanwhile, residents and shopkeepers have put up banners on Linking Road which read: “Is MMRDA above the law?”

“Can’t MMRDA wait for the court’s decision? Aren’t residents’ voices important? MMRDA is overruling the court by going ahead with soil testing,” said Thakoor.

Despite several attempts, PRK Murthy, chief of transport and communication division, MMRDA, couldn’t be contacted for the authority’s version on the issue.