Even as the authorities plan to start barricading work for Metro-6 within a month, a group of citizens have come together to demand the Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli line be made underground and create awareness about the disastrous impact of the plan on the Powai lake.

Currently, four Metro lines in the city are under construction. Metro-6 is being implemented by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on behalf of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). According to officials, the barricades will start from Swami Samarth Nagar in Lokhandwala Complex and eventually move towards the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) till IIT Powai. The last patch from JVLR to eastern express highway, where the line will have its last stop at Vikhroli, will be undertaken later.

Thanks to the work, motorists will have to face traffic snarls on the already congested western express highway and JVLR. MMRDA has already barricaded parts of the eastern express highway for construction of Metro-4 (Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavli). “After barricading the lanes, we will undertake soil testing to assess the ground status and conduct utility mapping before the actual construction work begins,” said a senior official from MMRDA.

However, unhappy with the plan, Powai residents plan to approach the MMRDA with an alternative in two weeks. “We don’t want to disturb the serenity of the Powai lake. Plus, JVLR is not a straight road, it has many curves. Looking at these issues, an underground line seems like a better solution,” said a citizen activist.

Architect Nitin Killawala said, “All elevated Metros in Mumbai are planned on major arterial roads. This alignment is also proposed on over-congested JVLR and Powai roads. Crowding these roads further will only result in complete chaos. Also, there is not much growth along this route, which makes it unviable for growth in ridership.”

Pravin Darade, additional metropolitan commissioner, in-charge of the project, was not available for a comment.

First Published: Nov 03, 2018 00:16 IST