Mumbai: PM Modi's dream bullet train hit by Metro carshed controversy

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Bullet train (file photo)

The bullet train of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream is now in the grip of the Metro-3 carshed controversy in Mumbai. Following the High Court order prohibiting construction of metro carshed in Kanjurmarg, the Thackeray government of the state is exploring possibilities of constructing a metro carshed in place of the proposed bullet train terminal at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). BJP leader and former minister Ashish Shelar Said that this proposal of the government is against the bullet train project.

Actually, the state government has received a major setback from the High Court in the case of metro carshed. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray sees this as a personal defeat. In this way, the case of Metro Rail Carshed in Mumbai is seen to be transformed into a battle of Modi vs Thackeray. Meanwhile, State Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday that the metro is very important for the people of Mumbai. After the court’s decision, we are investigating whether the metro carshed can be built at BKC. Shinde said that the state government has ordered officials to explore the possibility of constructing a metro carshed in place of the proposed station for the bullet train at BKC. However, the Uddhav government is well aware that the construction of a metro carshed in BKC will not only increase the political controversy but will also affect the bullet train project along the metro. Even then the conflict is ready to be bought.

The government’s thinking is ridiculous and childish- Fadnavis

Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis has termed the idea of building metro carshed in BKC as ridiculous and childish. He said that BKC’s land is very expensive. Last time land was sold here at the rate of Rs 1800 crore per hectare. If 25 hectares of land is taken for the carshed, it will cost around Rs 30,000 crore. The Bullet Train Terminal three label is going below ground and will replace just 500 meters on the ground. The Termillon is designed such that the financial center building will be built over it. If the metro carshed will be built below the ground, then it will cost more than 5000 crores instead of 500 crores and its maintenance expenses will be five times more. This will make the entire metro non-viable. I do not know who is giving such advice to sink the government.

What is Metro Rail Carshed Controversy

The Mumbai Metro-3 project was launched in 2014 during the time of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government. The project is to be completed in 2021. For this, carshed was being prepared in Aarey Colony of Goregaon, but the Uddhav Thackeray government shifted it to Kanjurmarg. Since then Carshed got into controversies and the matter reached the court. On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court stayed the order of the Mumbai Suburban District Collector under which 102 acres of salt panaland (salt land) was allotted at Kanjurmarg for the construction of a metro car shed.