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Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
‘Can't ignore preservation concerns as Mumbai grows': HC directs MMRCL to restore heritage feature of JN Petit Institute
The Bombay High Court emphasised on Thursday that while the city's development march cannot be halted, it cannot run roughshod over concerns for the preservation and maintenance of historic or heritage structures. In doing so, the high court disposed of a plea by trustees of the over 100-year-old J N Petit Institute's heritage building in the Fort area of South Mumbai that raised apprehensions of damage due to works for the Metro Line-3 project. A division bench of Justices Mahesh S Sonak and Jitendra S Jain, on July 10, directed the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) to abide by its assurance to reconstruct a fallen limestone finial, a heritage feature that adorned a portion of the said historic building situated at Dadabhai Naoroji (DN) Road. The finial is an architectural ornamental and decorative feature, usually crafted from limestone and often placed on the top of structure. The plea claimed that despite having renovated the building in 2014-15 to its earlier glory, the finial in question collapsed on August 25, 2017. The MMRCL, however, said that it had taken due precautions during the work. This came after the MMRCL made a statement that without prejudice to its rights and contentions and without accepting any liability, it has agreed to reconstruct at its own expense one of the limestone finials that earlier formed part of the building. 'There can be no doubt that the protection and preservation of the petitioners' building is a must. Whilst the march of development and infrastructural projects cannot be halted in a city like Mumbai, such a march cannot be permitted to run roughshod over the concerns of preserving and maintaining heritage buildings for posterity,' the court said. The court noted that the respondent authorities, including MMRCL and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) represented by advocates Mayur Khandeparkar and Kavita N Solunke, respectively, must conduct their activities by ensuring they don't harm or unduly destroy heritage structures. 'There are cases where such Heritage Areas or Structures are irreversibly harmed or destroyed, and the authorities responsible for such destruction or those whose lack of oversight caused it often plead fait accompli (something that already happened and can't be changed). This conduct cannot be tolerated,' the high court added. The high court recorded MMRCL's statement suggesting that the Metro tunnel's alignment was not directly under the Petit building and the tracks ran approximately 4 to 5 metres away horizontally and around 25 metres below the ground level from the building. The J N Petit building is a Grade-II A heritage structure constructed in the Neo-Gothic Revival style in 1898 and was conferred with the UNESCO Award of Distinction for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2015. The Jamsetji Nusserwanji Petit Trust said the building has a reading room and a library housing nearly 1 lakh books, including 2,400 rare books and 12 manuscripts, some of which date back to the 17th century, as per the judgment. The high court directed the petitioner Trust to fully cooperate for the reconstruction of the finial and to obtain prior permissions from the concerned authorities, including heritage bodies, for such restoration. The MMRCL shall complete restoration within eight months of obtaining approvals. 'We find it difficult to accept the petitioners' belated contention about some serious damage to the petitioners' building on account of the works which, according to the petitioners, were completed in 2023,' the high court noted. In September 2017, the high court had stayed excavation or tunnelling in the area around the heritage building. In November that year, it had ordered resumption of work after perusing the MMRCL's submission that they had completed precautionary measures recommended by a court-appointed Expert Committee. The court observed that the building required protection and maintenance, however it was 'difficult to uphold the allegations of callousness or disregard to the concerns expressed by the petitioners regarding their Heritage Building.' It said the authorities had 'substantially complied' with recommendations of the Expert Panel. Disposing of the plea, the bench said that at present, it was not appropriate to address concerns over damage to the building after the Metro line becomes operational as it would be 'too speculative,' and the Trust can seek remedies in future.
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Business Standard
26-05-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Watch: Mumbai underground metro station floods after early rains hit
Mumbai's much-anticipated Aqua Line 3 faced a major setback on Monday morning as the newly inaugurated Worli underground metro station saw flooding following intense monsoon showers. The early arrival of the southwest monsoon, the earliest in Maharashtra in 35 years, triggered waterlogging across the city. Many commuters shared videos of water pouring down the walls into the station. Heavy showers hit Mumbai, flood new metro station Several parts of Mumbai witnessed heavy overnight rainfall, causing traffic and civic disruptions. Visuals from the Worli metro station showed muddy water flooding the platforms, reaching up to the metro gates. Videos shared on social media captured passengers wading through ankle-deep water, their pants rolled up, and slippers in hand. Water was also seen leaking through the station roof, hinting at poor waterproofing and inadequate drainage systems. Mumbai metro stops Aqua line services Mumbai Metro authorities issued a public notice on social media, announcing service curtailments: 'Due to an unforeseen technical issue, train services on Metro Line-3 are temporarily curtailed and will operate only up to Worli Station instead of Acharya Atre Chowk. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused.' Public Notice – Mumbai Metro Line 3 Service Update Due to an unforeseen technical issue, train services on Metro Line-3 are temporarily curtailed and will operate only up to Worli Station instead of Acharya Atre Chowk . We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused. — MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) May 26, 2025 Infra woes at Mumbai's Aqua line The affected metro line, part of an estimated ₹37,276 crore project, became operational between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Acharya Atre Chowk on May 10. The earlier phase from Aarey to BKC was launched in October 2024. The complete Aqua Line, stretching from Aarey to Cuffe Parade, is India's longest underground metro corridor and is expected to be fully operational by August this year. The flooding has raised serious questions about the quality of construction and planning of the metro system. 'We are idiots. They were serious when they named it Aqua Line,' a user wrote on X. Road collapse amid Mumbai rains In another rain-related incident, a section of Kemps Corner Road in South Mumbai collapsed, disrupting traffic flow. The road near the Warden Collection was shut for vehicles coming from Kemps Corner towards Mukesh Chowk, with detours rerouting traffic back towards the flyover. Authorities are on site, and commuters have been advised to use alternative routes. Mumbai records heavy rainfall; flights, trains disrupted Rainfall data showed intense activity during the early hours, with Nariman Point recording 40 mm of rainfall between 6-7 am, Grant Road 36 mm, and Colaba 31 mm. The city's eastern and western suburbs also experienced light to moderate showers. Flight services and train operations faced disruptions, with airlines such as SpiceJet and Air India urging passengers to check schedules before heading to the airport.
India Gazette
09-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"One Ticket for All Public Transport Systems": CM Fadnavis at Mumbai Metro Line 3 Launch
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 9 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the second phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3 on Friday and said that they are planning to implement one ticket for all public transport systems. The new section, stretching 9.77 km, was inaugurated today at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. The CM said, 'We are planning to implement one ticket for all public transport system. This multimodal ticketing will not only be for Mumbai but for the whole MMR region.' Fadnavis also announced that the final phase, which runs from Worli to Cuff Parade, would be opened by August, completing the entire Metro 3 route from Cuff Parade to SEEPZ. He shared the government's ambitious plans for integrated public transport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Mumbai Metro Line 3 will cover a 9-km stretch between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Acharya Atre Chowk and run under the Mithi River's water. The first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3, from Aarey to BKC, was inaugurated in October 2024. After inaugurating the service, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a ride from BKC to Siddhivinayak Station. He said, 'Mumbai Metro Line 3, Phase 2A is not just infrastructure. It is the backbone of a future-ready Mumbai. This is India's largest underground metro route with 26 state-of-the-art stations and multiple connectivity points.' Earlier, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated this crucial infrastructure project, marking a new era of connectivity for India's financial capital. The first phase of the Rs14,120 crore Metro Line-3 connects Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Aarey, spanning the JVLR section. As Mumbai's first underground metro, the Aqua Line will revolutionise travel in the city. It will feature 10 new stations, including key transit hubs such as T2 and Santacruz, thereby easing congestion and reducing travel times. The full 33.5 km route of the Aqua Line connects Aarey to Cuffe Parade, incorporating 27 stations along its path. The recently launched first phase spans 12.5 km between Aarey and BKC, offering an important boost to the city's transport network. Moreover, this metro line will integrate with Mumbai Metro Line 1 at Marol Naka, offering improved connectivity across Mumbai's key regions. Officials stated that the Prime Minister would also launch the final phase of the project soon. Authorities said that despite several logistical and structural challenges during construction, the project successfully moved into its final phase. The 26-station metro line was a landmark example of modern underground engineering. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, senior government officials, and project engineers attended the ceremony. At the launch event, the CM inspected a scaled replica of the metro train. (ANI)
