Mumbai: BJP MP Shelar assures support to residents’ demand for underground Metro

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar. (File)

DAYS AFTER BJP MLA Ashish Shelar raised residents’ demand of constructing the proposed Metro 2B underground in the Assembly session, he expressed his continued support to the cause during a meeting with the residents’ association on Sunday.

“I continue to support their demand. I have already raised the matter during the Assembly and will also help them during the court proceedings,” said Shelar, representative of the Bandra West constituency.

Speaking in the House on March 16, Shelar had said, “The Metro 2B corridor is an important Metro route in the suburbs. However, the residents have expressed the need to construct it underground. This is due to the presence of many residences, open spaces, schools and colleges in the area. We have also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in this regard. While the Metro is important, it will also help if the residents’ demand is considered.”

With the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) having started the work on the D N Nagar-Mandale corridor, Shelar said the only way ahead is through the judiciary. “We will now have to fight this in the court,” he said.

However, residents also sought that Shelar seek an appointment for the residents with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and ask the MMRDA to slow down the pace of work.

Citing space constraints on S V Road, the residents have been demanding that the 23.6-km Metro corridor should not be constructed elevated. They have already filed two PILs in the Bombay High Court and hearing has begun in one of them. The court asked the petitioners, H West Federation, to send a representation to the government.

“We have sent the representation but have not received a response yet. We will wait for three weeks and then approach the court again,” said Nitin Killawalla, a resident.