As reported by Express news service on  Mon Sep 06 2010

In June this year, the World Bank extended the deadline for the much-delayed Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) to December 2011.

Planned in 1997 and work finally started in 2003, the project aims to connect the eastern and western suburbs with an elevated road with a promise that the distance from Chembur to Santacruz can one day be covered in just 15-20 minutes. However, a 4-km stretch of the six-lane elevated road, from Kurla near the CST bridge to the Amar Mahal junction in Chembur, is running behind its original schedule by nearly five years. With four extensions, the SCLR is also a key reason for the long delays in completing the Mumbai Urban Transport Project.

The relocation of around 3,500 structures (both commercial and residential) and eight religious structures was the main reason for the delay. “The land acquisition is almost complete with the tenants of the buildings at Netaji Nagar finally agreeing to vacate the plot. A small patch has to to be acquired near the Amar Mahal junction, which houses a mosque,” said an MMRDA official.

Excerpt from Indian Express by Prashant Rangnekar on Aug 25, 2010 : Read Full Article

Even as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is gearing up to complete the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) Project, trustees of a mosque near Tilak Nagar that is to be relocated to make way for the road have refused to shift until the MMRDA shows evidence that the new site is owned by it.

A letter to the MMRDA by the Jamat-ul-Muslimeen Housing Board (the mosque authorities) states that while it is not against development, MMRDA does not appear to own the plot of land where they are being asked to shift to.

“We’re not against development and are ready to move, but the MMRDA should send us a copy of the document that confirms the ownership. We have also learnt that a service road is being planned and if that happens we have to again shift,” said Shahnawaz Kalburgi, secretary of the mosque. “More importantly, MMRDA doesn’t own the plot which they are offering to us. Under what authority (they) are giving us the plot,” vice-president of the mosque Mohammed Khuthbuddin asked.

Excerpt from Hindustan Times , reported by HT Correspondent, July 20, 2010 Read Full Article

With the 146-km Metro project cost escalating from Rs 19,525 crore to Rs 47,092 crore, the city’s planning body proposes to seek loans from international banks to finance the project. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is contemplating taking a loan of $20 billion (approximately Rs 20,000 crore) to build seven Metro lines.

“We are looking at international financial institutions to finance our Metro projects in the city. Officials from the World Bank and the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation have shown keen interest in participating in the Metro projects,” said Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.

“We will need finance for many of our future Metro projects because some of these will be built underground, making the project costlier,” he added.

Excerpt from Indian Express, on Jul 17 2010: Read Full Article

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has sought another extension from the World Bank for the ongoing Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) project. The deadline is likely to be extended from June 2011 to December 2011.

The World Bank officials are in the city to review the progress of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project’s (MUTP) Phase I. Apart from the railway component under phase I, the officials would also be reviewing the on-going Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and SCLR projects that are aimed to improve the East-West connectivity in the city. It is to be noted that the World Bank has also extended the deadline of rail component projects to June 2011.

In a presentation made by the MMRDA before the World Bank team, the agency elaborated on the progress on the design clearances from the railways, land acquisitions and project accounts. “A major aspect in SCLR is the Road Over Bridge between Kurla and Vidyavihar stations. We are now going ahead with a steel bridge as it will take less time unlike the RCC bridge, which would have taken three years to complete in the given situation,” said SVR Srinivas, additional metropolitan commissioner. “We take the matter with the Central Railway to expedite speedily.”

MMRDA to construct a tri level structure with the flyover at a height of 65 ft from ground level

As reported in India Infoline News Service on Jun 28, 2010

For the very first time in Mumbai the vehicles will ply on a bridge which will be at a height of 65 ft above the ground level on a tri level structure being constructed at the junction of Panjarpol, Chembur. The structure will be a part of the Eastern Freeway that starts from P D’Mello road in South Mumbai and ends at Ghatkopar on Eastern Express Highway.

The state-of-the-art structure being constructed by MMRDA will be a part of a trio of structures that will consist of the flyover being built at a height of 65 ft on the third level, a Mahim Kurla Mankurd Metro line at a height of 20 ft at the second level and level one will be the existing Ramkrishna Chemburkar road.

The Metro line will run parallel above the Ramkrishna Chemburkar road and the elevated road will cross the metro at the Panjarpol junction. The work of the engineering marvel has begun and is expected to be completed in a year’s time. The 65 ft height stretch will comprise of 2+2 lane carriage ways.

“Mumbai is a centre of economic enlargement and hubs of scientific innovations, therefore, for the sustenance of such a city; precedence is required to be given for solving its traffic problems. The traffic bearing capacity of roads within the city can be increased by constructing Tri- level flyovers for smooth traffic flow on busy road junctions”, said Mr. Ratnakar Gaikwad, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

Construction of elevated structure at a height of 65 ft in itself is a mammoth effort which will undertake with the help of huge cranes, launching girders and other machineries.

Another important feature of this project is a twin tube tunnel being constructed in the BARC hill. This will be joined by the elevated road in the Panjarpol junction maintaining the same elevation of 65 ft.

The proposed trio will be a source of pride for Mumbai, which believes many more tourists will come to admire one of the engineering wonders of the 21st Century.

As reported by India Infoline News Service on  Jun 25, 2010

The MMRDA offered flats which comprised of 225 sq. feet carpet area to Residential PAPs and a maximum of 225 sq. feet carpet area to those which includes Commercial and Residential.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has so far rehabilitated 4694 PAPs of Anik Panjarpol Link Road (APLR) at Vashi Naka, Chembur and Tata Nagar at Mankhurd. The development of these sites is being undertaken by builders such as RNA, Kukreja, Runwal and Akruti builders respectively.

Amongst the 4694 PAPs, there were 4241 which are Residential, 414 are Commercial and 39 comprised of both Residential as well as Commercial. Out of the 4694 PAPs, eligibility has been granted to 3807 PAPs for residential, 259 for Commercial and 31 for both Residential and Commercial and the rest yet to be decided for eligibility.

The MMRDA offered flats which comprised of 225 sq. feet carpet area to Residential PAPs and a maximum of 225 sq. feet carpet area to those which includes Commercial and Residential.

“We are ensuring that all possible measures are taken so that the APLR gets completed soon and once completed it will play a huge role in providing a major relief and comfort to the commuters from Navi Mumbai to South Mumbai” said Mr. SVR Srinivas, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

The cost of constructing APLR is Rs. 221cr of which approximately 60 % work has already been done and the remainder of the work is expected to be completed in December 2010. The APLR is a part of the Eastern freeway which runs from South Mumbai up to Ghatkopar via P D’Mello Road, MbPT Road, Anik and Panjrapol.

The Lodha group of real estate developers today emerged the highest bidder to acquire a 22.5-acre plot in Wadala, central Mumbai, for Rs 4,053 crore.

In an auction conducted by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Lodha quoted Rs 81,818 per sq mt, or Rs 7,604 a square foot, for the plot at the Wadala Truck Terminal, a few metres away from the construction site for a monorail that would link Chembur in the central suburbs with Jacob Circle in central Mumbai.

The plot was earlier earmarked for the construction of a 102-storied commercial complex, which would have been the tallest structure in the country. MMRDA was forced to abandon its plan due to poor response from developers.

But, it is not repenting at all, as Lodha’s bid makes it the largest-ever land deal in the country. Only BPTP, a north India-based real estate player, had fared better in an auction. In 2008, it had offered to fork out Rs 5,006 crore for a plot in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, but later surrendered 75 per cent of the land to the authorities.

Another large-ticket land deal has been in the works, with the Railway Land Development Authority planning to auction a plot in Bandra for which a reserve price of Rs 4,000 crore had been fixed. Due to tepid interest from developers, the agency has had to abort its attempt to sell the plot on at least three occasions in the past.

Today’s deal could change sentiments and MMRDA is looking to cash in on the positive mood. The agency is reviving plans to sell plots in the Bandra-Kurla Complex after it failed to get requisite response to an auction conducted in January.

“Developers are willing to pay high value for land given the short supply in Mumbai. In addition, property prices have shot up by 40-60 per cent in the last six months which is making them bolder,” said CB Richard Ellis Chairman and Managing Director Anshuman Magazine.

While the problems in Europe could affect the participation of international funds in the Indian markets, local funds have cash with them to take care of the funding requirements, real estate consultants said.

Given the staggered payment, Lodha will shell out Rs 5,700 crore over the next five-years for the Wadala plot. The developer has to pay the money in the five years with initial 10 per cent of the bid value due in the next three months. It said it will depend on internal accruals and cash flows from other projects to pay the bid amount.

Lodha’s bid is more than double the reserve price of Rs 40,000 per sq mt and nearly 86 per cent higher than the second highest bid from Suntech Reality at Rs 70,002 per sq mt. Indiabulls came third with a bid of Rs 67,222 a sq mt and Dosti group was the fourth highest with Rs 45,494. Though 14 firms bought bid documents, only four submitted bids, which were opened today.

According to MMRDA, the project would have a Floor Space Index of 20, allowing a total saleable area of 7.5 million sq ft. Mumbai city enjoys a FSI of 1.33. But against this, Lodha will be able to build 20 square feet on every square foot of land bought by it.

The developer said it plans to build a residential complex and to sell apartments in the price range of Rs 13,000-Rs 14,000 per sq ft. The project is expected to get completed over the next five to seven years. At present, residential buildings around the Wadala Truck Terminal command a price of Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000 a sq ft.

Excerpt from TOI, reported Sukhada Tatke, on Apr 18, 2010: Read Full Article

The city’s water woes were compounded on Saturday when a 32-inch water pipeline on R C Marg near Vashi Naka in Chembur gave way, affecting supply to neighbouring areas. The fairly new pipeline of a high quality material, recently laid by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to supply water to its rehabilitation and resettlement sites, burst in the compound of Manish Vijay Society.

Although there was initial confusion on who should undertake the repair, the work began soon after MMRDA authorities approached the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for help. Civic officials said that the pipeline would be fixed by Sunday.

“The BMC hasn’t yet taken over the pipeline. The pipe’s maintenance and operation are the MMRDA’s responsibility. When the MMRDA officials approached us for help, we agreed as we didn’t want the citizens to suffer. The civic body will carry out the repair work and the MMRDA will pay for the cost,” said hydraulic engineer Vinay Deshpande.

Excerpt from DNA, reported by N Raghuraman on 17th April  2010: Read Full Article

I must thank the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for delaying Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) project endlessly. Of course, they are doing a yeoman’s service by obliging us with a job they are supposed to do. Who are we? Mere taxpayers!
So, if we are paying through our nose, we are not supposed to ask why a World Bank-aided project has not been completed in six years. The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) is yet to get completed despite the fact it was started in 1999. Thus connecting the East-West corridor of the city remains a distant dream even now.
For more than six years now, impediments have jinxed the SCLR project, the latest being rehabilitation of occupants on one of the plots, who are unwilling to vacate. Well, is it something we need to worry about? What then is MMRDA worth?

Excerpt from DNA by Ninad Siddhaye on April 8, 2010: Read Full Article

Malaysian company Scomi is ready to dispatch the first four rakes it has built for the monorail in Mumbai — the first in India. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on its part is set to approve the master plan for implementation of the monorail network stretching over 185km in the MMR.

The master plan has been prepared by Lea Associates. It is a compilation of reports of various studies, such as techno-economic feasibility, viability in terms of ridership (number of commuters using the monorail), and other details.

“The MMRDA will get the master plan by the middle of this month. The routes will be finalised in phases. The first phase will connect Kalyan-Dombivli with Thane, passing through Ghodbunder road. We are thinking of extending the route up to Badlapur on one side, and Mira Road on the other. The other phases will link Chembur-Ghatkopar-Koparkhairane, Mahape-Sheelphata-Kalyan, Lokhandwala Complex-Seepz- Vikhroli via the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Mulund-Goregaon,” a top MMRDA official said.