Title - Metro II delay: MMRDA warns of action

Mumbai: After waiting for nearly three yearsfor worktostarton thesecond Metro route—Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd—the MMRDA has warned the developer, Reliance Infrastructure, that it would initiate action if the latter failed to start work at the earliest.
    Citizens living in the western suburbs have already opposed the plan to have an elevated routefor MetroII and want it to be made underground.
    Additional metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivas, in a letter on September 6, said the administration “might be constrained to initiate action in keeping with the agreement without prejudice to the MMRDA’s right to claim damages for delay in commencement of the work”.
    The MMRDA sent the letter to Reliance without reportedly addressing any of thecompany’sconcerns.These include permission to build car depots at Mankhurd and Charkop only on stilt,whichis a costly affair; no permission towashtrains atdepots, making the project unfeasible for the developer; no civil aviation nod for a stretch of the elevated route near the Juhu airport; hurdles in the form of high-voltage electric lines and no rights to commercially exploit the route with 4 FSI, making the project a non-starter financially.
    Many suspect that the letter is the beginning of the process to scrap the second Metro line. The MMRDA claimed that it had already handed over 20 km without impediments to RInfra, including continuous stretches of 2-5 km for construction.
    A worried RInfra had written to the chief minister pointing out that non-fulfilment of the promises made under the concession agreement was not only delaying the project but also making it unviable for the company.
    Asked about the MMRDA’s letter, a spokesperson for RInfra said: “Commencement of work requires appropriate redress of the issues involved.” MMRDA to submit white paper on projects in a month Mumbai:The state government has directed the MMRDA to bring out a white paper involving all infrastructure projects by it. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavansaid on Friday that he had directed the agency to submit the report within a month.
    Observers say the move, which comes in the wake of September 4mishap at a Metro I site, has a lot of political significance. They say Chavan, who heads the MMRDA, has turned the tables on the NCP by promptly ordering submission of the white paper.
    The NCP has been on the backfoot over allegations of scams involving departments controlled by it. For instance, the party-controlled irrigation department, which has come under the scanner over multiple scam allegations, is yet to bring out its white paper. Chavan had initiated the demand for a white paper.
    Later, NCP ministers targeted Chavan over the Metro mishap during a cabinet meeting. Questioning delays and cost escalation in MMRDA projects, home minister RR Patil raised the demand for a white paper.
    On Thursday, however, the NCP said the party had not asked for a white paper of any department. Party spokesperson Nawab Malik said whatever Patil said was his opinion. Meanwhile, Chavan said he was personally against private parties retaining majority stake in infrastructure projects.—Sandeep Ashar