Residents up the ante against elevated Metro

Linking Road residents are not in a mood to soften their stand on the protection of 500 structures which will be affected due to the construction of an elevated Metro. The line will proceed from Juhu towards Santa Cruz Linking Road and end at Bandra junction near Amarsons.

Residents and shopkeepers have contributed to file a PIL against Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), as they say their properties — both residential and commercial — will be affected if MMRDA goes ahead with the original plan.

MMRDA on Wednesday awarded the contract of constructing the second line of metro to Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure for the 32-km route from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra.

“MMRDA is adamant and principal secretary TC Benjamin is not taking into account the 2,000 families who will be affected. Seventy-three residential buildings will be affected for metro stations, corridors and staircases. The cost of the PIL is almost Rs2 lakh and the residents and shopkeepers are contributing as we know it’s worth fighting for,” said Aftab Siddique, spokesperson, Linking Road Residents’ Forum.

“It’s injustice to the 2,000 families in Bandra, Khar, Santa cruz who will be affected, if they use vibro hammer to drill. Feasibility of the project is also not explained by MMRDA till date,” said Siddique in her SMS to chief minister Ashok Chavan and chief secretary Johny Joseph.

“We will wait for a week, meet MMRDA officials again and decide on the next course of action. But we are not giving up,” said Sherley Singh, member, Juhu Metro Rail Forum.