After Rs 80 cr loss, experts suggests using Mumbai monorail for tourism

Retired MMRDA Chief Planner, Vidyadhar Phatak released the report on Wednesday

In view of the Rs 80-crore loss that the monorail phase I has been facing each year, transport thinktank Mumbai Vikas Samiti has suggested that the state government should sell off the project to a private company, which can use it for tourism purpose. It has also stressed on the need to have a common authority for transportation projects like the one in London.

The report, which was released by retired MMRDA Chief Planner Vidyadhar Phatak, says, "Every department is working in silos and doing their own projects. The city is falling apart due to project duplication and wastage of public funds. What is needed is a single transport body on the lines of Transport For London, so that there is integration of projects with the Mayor as a single-point authority."

Speaking to mid-day, Transport Planner Ajit Shenoy said, "The MMRDA is working on the Metro, BMC has taken up the coastal road project and the Mumbai Port Trust is doing their own development projects. They need to work together and not in isolation. The latest example is the extension of the Metro Line 4 from Wadala to GPO. This is just duplication of work as the harbour line is already coming up there. This is insane." "The authorities are coming up with a lot of crazy ideas which make no sense. All of them are impractical," expert Ashok Datar said.

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