29 May,2011 06:43 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
The MMRDA plans to request the BMC to allow them to carry on monorail work in Jacob Circle, Lalbaug and Wadala, all low lying areas
While most Mumbaikars are waiting for the monsoon to give them a breather from the heat, if the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has its way, residents living in and around Jacob Circle, Lalbaug and Wadala don't have much to look forward to. The MMRDA is going to request the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to give the body required permission to continue work in these areas for the Jacob Circle-Wadala monorail line. Because the region of Delai Road, Lower Parel and Jacob Circle is a low-lying area, every monsoon, its roads face waterlogging. If permission is granted, the situation will only worsen.
The already congested Delai Road is set to get worse if monorail work
continues through the monsoon. Pic/ Santosh Nagwekar
Speaking to SMD, MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said, "As we want to complete construction of the monorail line between Jacob Circle and Wadala as soon as possible, we will write to the BMC and request that they allow us to carry out the piling work during the monsoon. We can then complete the construction of piers on this stretch by the end of this monsoon."
However, local BMC Corporator Dilip Shinde said he will oppose any such move. "If the MMRDA plans to continue construction work during the monsoon, we will come on to the streets and oppose them. Already, there is a waterlogging problem in our area. We don't want any further problems." He also alleged that while carrying out work in the area, MMRDA fails to take local residents into confidence.
Lalbaug residents need to especially worry because the street where the work will continue is an important one, used by commuters to travel to Curry Road and Lower Parel stations. As per the MMRDA deadline, the Jacob Circle-Wadala monorail line will be completed by December 2011. However, only 30 per cent of work has been completed, and the project will most likely be complete only by June 2012.
Monorail FAQ
The Jacob Circle-Wadala-Chembur monorail line is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,716 crore. The monorail is expected to reduce the nearly 28,000 taxis and autorickshaws, and the 25,000 private cars that take this route daily. MMRDA believes that the 40 minutes-long commute on road from Jacob Circle to Chembur will be reduced to 21 minutes on the monorail. The capacity of the four cars in the monorail system is 8,000 to 12,000 per hour, per direction.
