Development authority mulls high-power committee

“I think it’s a good idea. It is on the lines of the Delhi Metro. We will put this forward to the state government once we start implementation,” metropolitan commissioner Rahul Asthana said.

Such a committee will have representatives from the BMC — especially fire,water supply and drainage departments— traffic,environment,railways and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport. RITES wants the panel to meet monthly and sort out problems. “For the Delhi Metro,such a high-power committee was formed and it proved useful in its smooth implementation,” its report said.

A similar committee was formed for the 11-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro nearly three years after its construction started. Authorities had lost time in the project,waiting for clearances related to shifting of utility lines,permissions to take Metro over existing railway tracks,traffic and fire permissions and so on.

“The committee was not very useful in expediting the project as it was formed almost three years after the construction began. Many problems crop up right at the beginning. That is why for the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz project,it would be useful to have a high-power committee — the highest administrative backing to the project — right at the beginning,” additional metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivas said.

Currently,there is an empowered committee under the Cabinet Secretary at the Centre for the Delhi Metro. Similarly,there is a group of ministers set up by the Union Cabinet under the Home Minister to take decisions on policy matters related to the Delhi Metro. RITES has recommended that both the platforms be extended to include the Mumbai Metro and the state chief secretary and chief minister be inducted in these committees.