Mumbai: Dropping Amar Mahal station will cut off crucial Mono link

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in his role as MMRDA chairman, seems to be on a Metro stations dropping spree. In a surprising move on Tuesday, without soliciting public opinion or suggestions, Shinde removed a crucial future interchange point for public transport in the eastern suburbs by deleting the Amar Mahal Junction station from the Mumbai Metro Green Line 4 (Wadala-Thane) map. This marks the fifth station to be removed since construction commenced.

This station could have served as an intersection point for the isolated Mumbai Monorail and the Chembur railway station on the harbour line.

Alongside Amar Mahal Junction, other dropped stations include Suman Nagar, due to its close proximity within a kilometre of the next station, citing cost-cutting measures. The decision to cancel the National College station at Bandra West along Line 2B was also endorsed at the meeting.

The station could have served as an intersection point for the isolated Mumbai Monorail and the Chembur railway station. Representation pic/Ashish Raje

Earlier in 2020, Kurla LTT station and MMRDA stations on Yellow Line 2B (DN Nagar-Mankhurd) were also removed.

"Why are such decisions made secretly without inviting public suggestions and opinions? This is a matter of public interest. Also, when a Detailed Project Report is meticulously made and accepted, how can it be overridden at this stage? It disrupts the larger picture of connectivity," activist Anil Galgali expressed to mid-day.

The decision has faced severe criticism from citizens. Amar Mahal junction's importance lies in its connection to the Ramkrishna Chemburkar Road, where the Chembur Terminal point of India's only Monorail over a 20.21km stretch is situated. This area lacks connectivity to the closest Metro Blue Line 1 at Ghatkopar and has now lost its proposed proximity to the Metro Green Line 4 station.

MMRDA officials declined to comment officially, but sources mentioned that a station at Amar Mahal on Green Line was deemed technically unfeasible due to multiple flyovers, high-tension wire towers, and insufficient land for construction. Suman Nagar station on Green Line 4, situated at the junction of Sion-Trombay Road and Eastern Express Highway (EEH), was dropped due to its closeness to the next Siddhart Colony station on Yellow Line 2B, sources explained.

The Green Line 4, Mumbai's longest Metro stretching from Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadivli, initially had 32 stations along a 32.32 km route. Now, with two stations - Suman Nagar and Amar Mahal junction - dropped, the line will have 30 stations only. The route passes through Eastern Express Highway, encompassing Amar Mahal Junction, LBS Road, Cadbury Junction, Tikuji-ni-Wadi & Kasarvadivli.

In 2020, Yellow Line 2B saw the removal of LTT Kurla station due to airspace restrictions, MMRDA station in BKC due to overlap with Kalanagar flyover's ramp, and recently, the National College station at Bandra due to local residents' opposition.

At Bandra, some residents continue to advocate for the reinstatement of the National College station. While certain groups opposed the station's relocation, citing its impact on Sadhu Vaswani Park, other groups under 'Save National College Station' campaign for its return, initiating an online petition.

Voices echo various concerns: "Two of the busiest junctions on this route will have no stations! Isn't that akin to building the Mumbai Western Railway line without stations at Dadar & Bandra?" expressed a concerned citizen, Bharat Ram.

"It seems someone desperately wants the metro to fail. How can important stations like Amar Mahal & Suman Nagar be scrapped?" Said another citizen, Vishal Firke.

"Amar Mahal was crucially needed. The real reason might be the auto nexus and mafia, which charges Rs 10 per seat instead of using the meter; their interests would have been affected," said resident Harsh Gosar.

"What a lack of foresight. Amar Mahal is such a critical junction. Chembur residents should protest. Ideally, they should plan Amar Mahal to Teen Hath Naka via the Eastern Expressway. This is terrible planning," said Gaurav Pednekar.

"There should be a station between Amar Mahal and X Shopper's Stop. People residing in between won't benefit from a station in Garodia Nagar. Certainly, a station at Tilak Nagar junction would be feasible," said resident Bala G.

Five
No. of stations removed till now

32
No. of stations originally planned for Green Line 4