Days before unveiling new development plan: CM Fadnavis withdraws 30-m buffer zone around Metro 1 yard

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (Express Photo by Prashant Nadkar/Files)

DAYS before unveiling Mumbai’s new Development Plan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has withdrawn the 30-metre buffer zone around the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro yard at D N Nagar in Andheri. Following the chief minister’s approval, the Urban Development (UD) department, which he heads, issued orders notifying the waiving of the buffer zone.

In 2005, the state government had first reserved the 13.8 hectare plot of land, previously earmarked for a sewerage plant and a recreational ground, for a Metro car depot/workshop, allied activities, and commercial use. It had imposed a condition that a buffer zone of 30-metre width shall be maintained around the periphery of the lands to avoid noise pollution for residences in the vicinity. Only tree plantation was allowed in the buffer zone. But plans for the Metro 1 yard were sanctioned without insisting on the buffer zone. The CM’s waiver of the requirement is seen as a bid to overcome the discrepancy.

Since 2008, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had been requesting the government to “delete the buffer zone” so as to “accommodate the MRTS as per technical and safety requirements in the available land.” But the UD department had refused to oblige back them. While the government issued guidelines recommending installation of barriers to reduce noise from elevated road and rail corridors and flyovers in December that year, it had not acceded to the MMRDA’s request to withdraw the buffer zone.

Continuing to push for the concession, the MMRDA, on September 2, 2013, submitted a letter from the Central Road Research Institute that tree plantations were not a scientific option for noise reduction.

The Fadnavis government had first declared its intent to allow the modification on February 1, 2016. Now, more than two years later, it has finally sanctioned. “The MMRDA shall provide noise abatement measures to reduce noise pollution, at their own cost and all along the MRTS car depot. A certificate to that effect shall be obtained from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board,” states UD’s notification, dated April 3, 2018.

“We had approached the government with the alternative of installing noise barriers. We were awaiting the state’s approval. We will now install the barriers,” said Mumbai Metropolitan Commissioner UPS Madan. Contending that the MMRDA owned the land parcel in question (which is a substantial one), Madan, however, said the agency has no plans to utilise the land for any other purpose.