Thane, Sep 6 (PTI) Several hundred persons held a protest against the proposed Rs 12,100 crore Thane Integral Ring Metro project on Sunday.
They braved the rain to form a human chain from Swami Junction to Prashant Corner.
Organized by the ‘Thane Against Ring Metro’ group, participants said the government, instead of funding another rail corridor, must upgrade the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) bus fleet, increase trip frequency, and expand road transit to underserved areas.
Activist Radhika Rane stressed that ridership data for existing lines must be evaluated before committing to new rail infrastructure, while environmentalists raised strong objections over plans to fell approximately 3,900 trees.
Activist Rohit Joshi said there was no Tree Authority Committee for nearly six months, leaving formal citizen objections ignored without a public hearing.
Incidentally, elected representatives and citizens groups had raised concerns during a high-level presentation of the ambitious project on Friday at the Thane Municipal Corporation.
Several of them had pointed to the displacement surveys remaining incomplete and lack of clarity on the route alignment.
These representatives said the presentation by MahaMetro managing director Shravan Hardikar did not have concrete rehabilitation plans for the estimated 1,400 to 1,500 families impacted across Lokmanya Nagar, Manoramanagar, and Sevalal Nagar.
While state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik expressed sharp displeasure over being kept out of the loop regarding route alignment decisions, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad criticized the administration, claiming roughly 30 per cent of slum surveys remain unfinished.
Addressing structural and environmental concerns near Thane station, MahaMetro clarified that the underground tracks will run 20 metres deep, requiring safety NOCs for nearby building construction up to 5 metres.
Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao stated that 70 per cent of the route alignment is already available and land acquisition will be accelerated. He assured leaders that TMC and MahaMetro will prioritize local rehabilitation.
There are plans to gather written suggestions from public representatives and integrate them into the Detailed Project Report expected by January 2027, Rao added. PTI COR BNM
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