Deputy CM Fadnavis blames delay over car depot for Metro cost overrun; in its first meeting, expanded cabinet also doubles compensation to farmers affected by rain
An 8-car train brought for trial runs, at the Metro-3 car depot site, Aarey colony, on August 7. Pic/Shadab Khan
The state cabinet on Wednesday approved an additional Rs 10,000 crore for the Colaba-Seepz Metro-3 project. The 33.5-km underground route was supposed to be completed this year, but it has been delayed because of the shifting of the car depot.
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According to the CM’s office, the initial project cost of Rs 23,136 crore has been increased to Rs 33,405 crore. The Centre and state, which are the project partners, will share the additional burden. The Japanese financial company JICA has agreed to give more loans to meet the additional cost, it said. This was the first meeting of the cabinet that was expanded from a two-member team to a 20-minister council.
“As per the corrected estimate, the state’s share will now be Rs 3,699 crore [from Rs 2,402 crore]. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority [MMRDA] has been asked to give the extra amount of Rs 1,297 crore (in equity) to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation [MMRC],” added the CMO. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s loan will increase to Rs 19,924 crore (from Rs 13,235 crore). MMRDA had already been permitted to raise additional loans.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, in whose tenure the project got underway, blamed the cost escalation on the stalling of work in the past two years, especially the ban on the construction of a car depot at Aarey. He said the first phase deadline has been postponed to next year.
“Over 85 per cent of civil work has been completed, but the car depot work has reached only 23 per cent. When completed, the line will have a daily ridership of 13 lakh and reduce daily road trips by 6 lakh,” he said. The ridership is expected to jump to 17 lakh by 2031, said a note from the CMO. The tunnel work is almost over and 82 per cent of work on stations has been completed.
The new government that came into existence in June shifted the car depot from Kanjurmarg site to the original site of Aarey. The decision has evoked strong opposition from environmental and political activists, who want the depot at Kanjurmarg. The Supreme Court has been approached yet again to stay the work at Aarey.
More aid for rain-hit farmers
In another decision, the cabinet has cleared a proposal to double the compensation to the farmers who have been impacted by rain. The relief will be double the norms decided by the National Disaster Relief Management. The cap of two hectares for the relief has been extended to three hectares. “This will be the biggest ever relief against a natural calamity like rain,” said CM Eknath Shinde.
Govt med college at Ratnagiri
The cabinet also cleared a 100-seat government medical college at Ratnagiri. The existing district hospital will be upgraded to 430 beds to accommodate the new medical college.
No verbosity, ministers told
Shinde and Fadnavis have advised the new ministers to use words cautiously while making statements and interacting socially. The caution came during an interaction that happened after bureaucrats were asked to give the political executives privacy after the official agenda was over at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The ministers were also told that they would soon get portfolios. Shinde and Fadnavis were expected to discuss the sharing once again. Sources said there was a tussle over important departments.
Monsoon session from Aug 17
The session of the state legislature will be held between August 17 and 25. But there will be only six working days because of a long weekend. The main agenda is to get a few ordinances and supplementary demands approved.
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Percentage of Metro-3 tunnel work completed so far
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