Metro car shed shifting will affect Metro project, transport: Experts

Maharashtra government's decision to relocate Aarey Metro car shed to Kanjurmarg in Mumbai is "unwise" and will versely affect Metro-3 project and city's public transport, say urban planners and transport experts.

decision to shift car shed from Aarey Colony, Mumbai's green lung, will delay project and increase its capital expenditure and operational cost, y say.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday anunced scrapping of Aarey Metro car shed. He said project will w be shifted to a government land in Kanjurmarg and cost will be incurred for purpose.

Experts, however, say it is t right time to shift car shed to Kanjurmarg when Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro-3 project, that started in 2013, is near completion.

Mumbai-based transport expert Paresh Rawal termed it as an "unwise" decision.

"Alternate ways of mitigating environmental impact should have been considered rar than alternate sites," Rawal told PTI, ding that it is a "big blow" to city's public transportation.

He also said it will delay Metro-3 project and increase its capital expenditure and operational cost.

move to relocate car shed from Aarey came amid reports that state government was considering if two of upcoming Metro lines could share maintenance facility.

It h appointed Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to prepare a feasibility study on Metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) sharing its car shed with Line 6 (Vikhroli-Lokhandwala).

Rawal said option of merger of Metro-3 corridor with Metro-6 will reduce line capacity of both, while building a parallel corridor till Kanjurmarg will increase project cost.

Urban planner Sulakshana Mahajan said Metro car shed should have been built at existing site in Aarey Colony as alrey a lot of money has been spent on work and a complete DPR (detailed project report) is rey for site.

"Since new proposed car shed site in Kanjurmarg is close to coastline and marshy land, it may require environment clearances, which could furr delay project," she said.

Mahajan also said state government should reveal details of Kanjurmarg car shed land in a transparent manner as it was under litigation in Bombay High Court.

Architect Nitin Killawala, however, welcomed decision of relocating Metro-3 car shed to Kanjurmarg, saying it will save 20 hectares of Aarey land.

He also suggested that Metro-3 line be furr diverted beyond SEEPZ to Kanjurmarg via Saki Vihar, Chandivali and Powai.

"Infrastructure projects like Metro lines are planned for next 100 years, hence in such mega projects a delay of afew years won't make much difference," he said.

Im credits: PTI