KUNICKAA TO LEAD HISTORIC PROTEST MARCH ON 19TH SEPT

Acitivist Kunika Lall will be leading a giant peace protest march against the MUMBAI METRO MAYHEM. She has gathered support from several leading organisations and several prominent individuals.

Mumbai Metro: Another Common Wealth Games in the making?
From 2004 to 2009 and from Rs. 19,500 cr to Rs. 47.500 cr – Not a single station, Not a single track! Are we staring at another Common Wealth Games?

Event : Protest Match
Date: 19th Sept 2010
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Place: From Kaifi Aazmi Park 10th Road to Nanavati Hostpital
Map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=19.10821,72.837317&spn=0.010928,0.022724&z=16&msid=104413235111856131341.00048fafc4c5eafeb5e33


The citizens of Mumbai have come together to voice the need for the Underground Metro. On 19th September, 2010 the suburbs will witness a historic Protest March in solidarity opposing the proposed elevated metro. The MMRDA has shown no accountability towards costs, nor any commitment in terms of project time. The irony is that they're actually spending for the Underground Metro but are giving us an outdated Elevated Metro. The mandate given to them to spend was Rs.19500 crores in 2005 which now escalated to a whooping Rs. 47500 crores, without having laid a single track!

What Lessons have we learned from the Versova-Ghatkopar Elevated Metro (under const.)?
· This route cannot be completed before 2018. MMRDA's claim to complete the project before 2010 (now march 2011) is a hoax and nothing but media hype.

· There are 12 stations planned (4 in high-rise category) of which construction of only 2 stations has reached upto slab levels. The permission of these 2 stations has been rejected by the Fire Brigade Dept. for lack of provision for evacuation during fire or other emergencies.

· There is absolutely no clarity of the metro bridge over Andheri railway tracks till date. The work on just two columns of the metro bridge over the Andheri flyover is going on for the last 12 months.

· MMRDA does not have access to atleast 3 km stretch (out of 11.8km) till date because of over congested roads, litigation issues, unmapped utilities, and other actualities.

Why the need for an Underground Metro for Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd?
· The Metro is planned on the only arterial roads connecting the suburbs to city – Link Road, SV Road, JVPD Linking Road, etc. – which are already over developed, narrow, congested and encroached upon.

· MMRDA is planning a Commercial Complex of 44000 sq ft over each of the stations which will be at a distance of every km and in the middle of abovementioned roads.

· There is no NOC from Juhu Airport Authorities.

· Over 1 lac sq ft of footpaths will be razed to accommodate stairs, escalators, lifts, etc. apart from hundreds of BEST bus stops. Not to mention litigation with countless private property occupants.

· There is no integrated transport plan with buses, rickshaws, and no provision of pickup or drop-off points.

What is the Legal Angle to the Mumbai Metro?

The entire Metro project is sanctioned on the pretext of constructing tramways because under the ancestral Tramways Act the Govt. can construct tramways in the middle of roads and without any clutches of the Rail Ministry controlled by Central Govt. Unlike the Kolkota and Delhi Metros are operated under Indian Metro Rail Act.

Why sheer discrimination against the Suburbs?

The Underground Metro is not a basement-like structure. It is an advanced Tunnel Technology which runs atleast 40 ft. below ground level without disturbing existing utilities like pipes, or existing structures or even nallahs and water bodies.
MMRDA themselves are going to construct Underground Metro under Bombay High Court, Oval Maidan, Crawford Market, Mahalaxmi and so on. Then why this disparity with Suburbanites where there's fastest growing population and generates maximum revenues for the city?

To conclude, any rail based projects anywhere in the world are planned for atleast a 100 years for the betterment of citizens. Similarly, our development of the Metro should also be for the benefit of our children and their children and not for the appeasement of short-sighted politicians and bureaucrats. We need to be the change.

WE NEED EVERYONES SUPPORT FOR OUR CITY by signing this petition "Underground Metro Rail for Mumbai" http://www.PetitionOnline.com/suburbs/

Encl:
Invitation
Short Press Release
Demerits of Elevated Metro Rail
Snaps
Link to download ppt
http://www.saveoursuburbs.in/files/press_release%2014092010.ppsx

NGOs supporting the Underground Metro:
(1) AGNI - Action for Good Governance and Networking in India
(2) Andheri-Versova Welfare Residents Association (AVRA)
(3) Bandra Bandstand Residents Trust
(4) Bandra West Residents Association
(5) Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai (IQOLMS)
(6) Gulmohar Residents Association
(7) Guzdar Scheme Residents Trust
(8) Janhit Manch
(9) Juhu Citizens Welfare Group
(10) Juhu Scheme Residents Association (JSRA)
(11) JVPD Co-op Housing Asso. Ltd
(12) JVPD Tenants & Residents Asso.
(13) Khar-Bandra-Santacruz Foundation
(14) Mumbai Environment Social Network (MESN)
(15) Pali Hill Residents Association
(16) Vileparle West Vyapari Welfare Association

Regards
Kunickaa Sadanand Lall
Convenor - AVRA (Andheri Versova Welfare Residents Association)