An expert panel constituted on December 17, 2019, to find an alternative site for the Metro 3 car shed has said poor planning by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) government had resulted in Aarey colony being shortlisted for the project.
According to global norms, the car shed site’s size must correspond with the length of the Metro corridor, the panel said. After studying international projects in several South Asian countries, the panel recommended setting apart a minimum of 25 hectares for such projects. The panel’s report, which was submitted to the Chief Minister on Tuesday, said the plot in Aarey colony, with a buildable area of 23 hectares, falls short of the global standard.
The four-member committee also ruled out Kanjurmarg and SRPF Ground in Jogeshwari as alternative sites for the car shed. The report warned of a 24% escalation in cost if the Metro 3 is extended by seven kilometres to Kanjurmarg. The report said merging Metro 3 with Metro 6 (Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg) is not technically and financially feasible. According to the panel, a merger will have signalling and operational impact on both lines, thereby affecting their frequency and capacity.
A member of the committee said, “Even if Metro 3 is extended to Kanjurmarg with the purpose of merging it with Metro 6, at least 16 stabling lines will still have to be maintained inside Aarey colony for parking trains. Therefore, Kanjurmarg as an alternative site will still not fully vacate the Aarey plot.” At present, 35 stabling lines for parking trains have been proposed at the car shed site in Aarey colony.
On Wednesday, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said there was no reason to worry as the Chief Minister’s Office is still studying the report. “The recommendations of the report are not binding. The final decision will be taken after studying the report,” he said after witnessing the 25th breakthrough of Metro 3 project’s tunnel boring machine at Worli. Mr. Thackeray said he would be consulting environmentalists as they have been a part of the Save Aarey movement.
‘Revoke stay order’
On Wednesday, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya demanded that Mr. Thackeray revoke the stay on construction at the car shed site as the delay of over 60 days had caused a loss of ₹600 crore.
The car shed site had been a political flashpoint between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, who were allies in the previous government.
