MMRDA to reimburse Central Railways Rs 18 crore for land around Ghatkopar railway station
Metropolitan Commissioner at MMRDA, UPS Madan claims the issue over the ownership of 1400 sq mtrs of Central Railway land on which the Ghatkopar metro station has been constructed has been solved with the MMRDA being ready to pay CR Rs 18 crore to solve the issue. However, based on the current real estate market rates in Ghatkopar, the cost of this plot may be around Rs 160-180 crore.
Under construction Ghatkopar metro station last year. File Pic
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While the 11.04 km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro line one is only awaiting safety certificate from Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety(CMRS) , the controversy had knocked the door of MMRDA before the actual operations begun. According to the MMRDA sources, the Central Railway had written a letter to MMRDA informing them that the 1400 meters of land near the Ghatkopar Railway station and LBS Marg belongs to Central Railways and on this land the MMRDA-MMOPL has constructed the Ghatkopar Metro Rail Station.
In a letter sent to MMRDA in January, CR had asserted that the land belonged to them. MMRDA had refuted the railway claim and stated that the land on which Ghatkopar metro station was constructed belonged to the BMC, but had to make a u-turn after the railways submitted documents related to the plot which clarified the land ownership issue.
In order that the metro gets off to a smooth operational start, the authorities have informed the railways that MMRDA would reimbur CR the land cost.
Confirming the same, MMRDA Commissioner UPS Madan said, “Earlier, we thought that it was BMC land, but after going through the documents submitted by CR, it came to light that it was CR's land and so we have decided to pay them the amount they have demanded.”
The railways had demanded Rs 18 crore from MMRDA and the planning authority will pay the amount soon. Sources from MMRDA told this newspaper that the CR will be having a meeting with their Finance Department on this issue soon after which the decision will be taken.
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