Change of government: Fate of 3 new

Mumbai Metro lines hangs in balance

First India Bureau Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is constructing three major lines as part of the 300-km-metro network proposed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the work on several other metro lines is ongoing.

The MMRDA has plans to construct 3 major metro corridors, the first of which would be Metro 4 (Wadala to Kasarvadavali) which is a 32.32-km-long elevated corridor with 30 stations, the second is Metro 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan), which is 24.90 km long elevated corridor with 15 stations and third is

Metro 6 (Swami Samarth NagarJogeshwari-VikhroliKanjurmarg) which is 15.31-kilometre-long having 13 stations.

The MMRDA had identified land at Kanjurmarg for constructing the depot of Metro 6. However, the Shiv Sena government at the time, led by Uddhav Thackeray had proposed to set up an integrated depot for all three lines at Kanjurmarg.

The present government led by CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis shifted the original proposal for the depot for underground Line 3 to Aarey from Kanjurmarg. But Line 6 depot which was slated to come up at Kanjurmarg is still shrouded in uncertainty.

The MMRDA has sent several reminders to the Urban Development Department to allocate Kanjurmarg land for the Line 6 depot. However, it is yet to get final approval. The Kanjurmarg land is owned by the Central Government. The development authority is also seeking land at Mogharpada, Thane and Kasheli in Bhiwandi to build depots for Lines 4 and 5. According to Metro officials, at least one year is required to set up all infrastructure to construct any depot. The MMRDA, which is yet to get possession of land for any of the depots, is also yet to appoint any contractor for their construction.

Fort on the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on February 19.

The counsel for the ASI submitted before the court that the petitioner is a private NGO and it is not a program being organised by the State.

Agra Fort is a monument of national importance. We ordinarily don’t grant permission to NGOs and private persons. If we do it then everyone will come to seek permission, the counsel had submitted.

Senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao submitted that the proposal has been sent to the Maharashtra government and is under consideration.

BMC engineer held for taking `8.5L to spare house from demolition

Mumbai (PTI): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested two persons, including an engineer from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for accepting a bribe of Rs8.5 lakh to halt the demolition of an illegally constructed house, an official said.

The BMC on January 16 sent a demolition notice to the owner of the 2-storey house in suburban Bandra saying the structure was unauthorised, said the ACB official.

The owner met junior engineer Mohan Rathod of the local ward who first demanded Rs15 lakh to spare the property but brought it down to Rs9 lakh after negotiation, he said.

The owner approached the ACB,

Jr engineer Mohan Rathod first demanded `15L in bribe which was negotiated down to `9L which in turn, laid a trap and arrested Rathod as he accepted Rs8.5 lakh from the complainant through an aide of his, said the official. Rathod and the other person were arrested and booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, said the official.