The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is finding itself in a dilemma, whether to give a preference to the iconic tower at Wadala or the first line of Metro railway.
Though the authority claims it would balance out both the projects, sources say the metro might get a preferential treatment as the deadline is nearing.
The MMRDA had sold a plot for Rs 4053 crore to the Lodha Group for the construction of iconic tower in Wadala. This plot was used for creating the casting yard for the first line of metro railway form Versova to Ghatkopar. However, with the Lodha group expected to pay their first instalment, MMRDA is under pressure to give the possession of the land to the developer.
" We are trying our best to maintain the balance amongst both these projects and I am sure none of the project would be affected," said Ratnakar Gaikwad, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.
T he girders, which are cast at the casting yard, are used as concrete slabs placed on top of the pier of the elevated Metro tracks. A maximum of 50 girders can be mounted on the piers in a month. There are six beds manufacturing these girders. The deadline given to the Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), the executing authority of the first corridor of Metro rail, to use the land was June 2010. Later, it was extended to December but the work has not been completed.
As per the officials, it would be tough to deny the land to the developer once the payment is accepted from them.
There won't be any alternate arrangements for the casting yard to be shifted since its a tedious process. " We won't be providing them with an alternate land, but would gradually shut down their construction work and hand over the land to the Lodha group by March 2011," said Gaikwad.
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