Hutatma Chowk to be affected by Metro-III

The city will not lose just open spaces and gardens for the construction of Metro-III project, but it will also affect the Hutatma Chowk, the memorial for the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. The garden near the memorial will be used for the construction of Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-III route. Some part of the garden will be used permanently for the project, while some will be used till the construction is completed.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), which is implementing the project, has demanded 17 plots from the civic body for building the 33.5-km long line. It also involves a garden near Hutamata Chowk, which will be used for the construction of ancillary building connection, ventilation shaft and entry-exit rooms. The MMRCL has asked for garden’s 425 sq mt land permanently for the Metro-III project. Another land of 757 square metres will be used for a period of 11 months till the construction is completed.

As the Hutatma Chowk region falls in the heritage category, the permission from the Heritage Committee is need to carry out any construction there, said a civic official.

BMC has proposed to allot 17 plots to MMRCL for a 30-year period on the basis of market rate. “The civic body has earlier proposed to allot these plots to MMRCL on nominal rates. But the BMC should not suffer any losses in Metro project. Hence we have asked the BMC to give these plots on only market rate,” said Prakash Gangadhare, civic improvements committee chairman.