Residents to submit demands MMRC to offer detailed rehabilitation plan.
Mumbai, March 3, 2015 – The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has assured in-situ rehabilitation to the residents of 18 buildings in Kalbadevi and 8 buildings in Girgaon which will be affected by the construction of Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-3 corridor.
“The MMRC will not remove and or evict no one before making arrangements for their permanent rehabilitation in the same area while implementing the Metro-3 corridor”, said Ms.Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director, MMRC. The MMRC needs very small portion of land permanently for the station entries and exits and for certain amenities like ventilation shaft on auxiliary sub-station. Moreover, due to close proximity of the buildings and lack of open spaces, about 26 buildings need to be demolished for both the stations. However, after accommodating Metro-3 requirement it could be possible to reconstruct the buildings at the same location. The MMRC team assured the affected families that they would check this possibility and come up with a draft plan of their in-situ rehabilitation. After discussing it with them and obtaining their consents, only the same will be finalized and the approval from the government would be sought.
Contrary to public belief that hundreds of structures will be affected, only 26 buildings – in all 737 families – in Kalbadevi and Girgaon area will be affected by Metro-3 project.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) needs space for entry-exit points and some amenities for Kalabadevi and Girgaon stations and the first priority is for open spaces and then the spaces where redevelopment is already in process or in pipeline.
“We are third and or fourth generation staying in the area and would like to continue to stay here. We offer full support to the Metro-3 corridor should MMRC rehabilitate us in the same area”, was the general tone toed by the residents of Kalbadevi and Girgaon during the consultation held to understand the pulse of those who are to be affected by the Metro-3 corridor.
The people representing residential buildings and commercial establishments, based on some bad experience, also asked for clear timelines as to the eviction and or possession of the new tenements – most preferred rehabilitation before the Metro-3 work begins. They also demanded in depth rehabilitation plan and promised support to the project while agreeing to submit their demands.
The buildings affected in Kalbadevi are Narmadabai Trust, Kotkar Building 17 & 18, Sabina House, Todiwala Building, Munnalal Mansion A & B, Sona Chamber, Fish Market, Vern Villa, Chhatriwala Building, Khan House Building Nos. 591, 593, 595; Rajsheela, Kapadia Chambers, Chira Bazar Nos.605 & 607 and Singapore Building. The buildings affected in Girgaon are Vitthaldas Building, VIP Luggage, shops, Sriram Bhavan, Swami Nivas, Shops on foot path, Annapurna Building, Khanti Nagar, Ekta Nagar, Dhoot Papeshwar
In all 252 people attended public consultation from Kalbadevi and Girgaon areas. (Ends)