Land acquisition issue threatens to derail rail project

THE PROJECT INVOLVES LAYING A SIXTH LINE BETWEEN BORIVLI AND MUMBAI CENTRAL AT THE COST OF ₹918 CR

MUMBAI: A project to lay an extra line between Mumbai Central and Borivli stations to improve the speed and frequency of suburban trains is likely to get delayed as 277 families have refused to accept alternative accommodation at Mankhurd in eastern Mumbai. Reason for the refusal: poor conditions of the alternative houses and lack of infrastructure in Mankhurd.

The two-phase project under MUTP-2 will displace 1,240 families. Under phase 1 between Borivli and Bandra, 607 families will be affected, and 633 families under phase 2 between Bandra and Mumbai Central. The 277 families who are reluctant to move to Mankhurd are from phase 1. The Railways has set a deadline of March 2019 for phase 1 and March 2021 for phase 2. The Rs918-crore project aims among others to segregate traffic of suburban and outstation trains.

The displaced families are from slums and multi-storey buildings between Vile Parle and Bandra.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has allotted alternative accommodation. “We will again appeal to project affected persons (PAPS) to vacate the place,” said Dilip Kawatkar, public relations officer of MMRDA.

The Railways needs to acquire 1,785 square metres of private land for the project.

According to a railway officer, of the total land needed, 755 square metres will be acquired from the Mumbai civic body and defence. Besides, the state authorities have to acquire around 90 square meters land of Shakti Mill in Mahalaxmi for, but the legal tangle has stalled the acquisition.

Owing to the delay in land acquisition, the Railways feared the project deadline would not be met.

The issue of land acquisition was raised in Thursday’s joint meeting between railway minister Piyush Goyal and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at Sahyadri Guest House on Thursday. The state had promised to speed up the process, said another railway officer.

The CM, in a tweet, said land acquisition issues related to the 6th line between Mumbai Central and Borivli, AhmednagarBeed-parli Vaijnath, WardhaBalharshah, Bhusaval-jalgaon, Pune-miraj-londa, and the 3rd line between Wardha and Nagpur were discussed.

The 6th line project has already seen more than 100% cost escalation from Rs430 crore in 2008 to Rs918 crore .