Mumbai Metro Line 2B to restrict heavy vehicles on Halav Pul in Kurla

Halav Pul and the Metro girder

Residents of Kurla West have expressed anger as an age-old connector bridge called Halav Pul used by generations of residents in Kurla will suddenly be of limited use to them as the bridge is now being dwarfed by the Mumbai Metro Line 2B alignment.

"We realised the other day that the girders passing over our local bridge are too low and once they come in place, heavy, loaded vehicles will not be able to use the bridge due to height restrictions. The shocking part is that the MMRDA neither alerted us about this nor gave notice to us informing us about this. We could have raised an objection," local resident and activist Anil Galgali said.

Metro girder as seen from the bridge

Residents have now formed the Kurla Metro Sangharsh Committee regarding this entire matter and till now five meetings have been held. All circles have come together to keep a tab on the Metro alignment in other areas so that there is no disruption in future.

"The girders have now already been laid up close to the bridge and now it is very late, but we have begun our protests. With this girder, vehicles can pass up to a height of 3.5 metres. I have written a letter to MMRDA Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee and Metro Director Basavaraj M Bhadragond requested them to provide a proper solution to the problems that may arise in the future with this girder," Galgali said.

"This bridge path is important. This route is used for traffic every year during Ganeshotsav and Navratri. This has created indirect hindrance in carrying the idols of Ganpati and Durga Devi from here. All Kurlakars have strong feelings about this. The route of Metro 2B was not from here in the original plan. Certainly, this situation would not have arisen if any public notice regarding the changes made had been issued and citizens' opinion had been sought," he added.

Metro Line 2B from DN Nagar to Mandale is a 23.64-km-long elevated corridor with 20 stations. It passes through BKC and shall provide interconnectivity among the existing Western Express Highway, Eastern Express Highway, Western Railway, Central Railway, Monorail, Metro Line 1 (Ghatkopar to Versova) and Metro Line 2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar), Metro Line 4 (Wadala to Kasarvadavali) & Metro Line 3 (Colaba to SEEPZ) under implementation.

Responding to the complaint, MMRDA in an official statement said the Metro 2B alignment was approved by the government of Maharashtra in 2016 and no changes have been made in the alignment post approval of its Detailed Project Report by the government and work is being carried out as per Metro rules and regulations and other necessary authorities.

"The Metro Line-2B alignment crosses Halav bridge and falls under the funnel zone of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The maximum height permissible at Halav bridge is 21.28m (AMSL) as per Airport Authority of India (AAI) standards and the maximum restricted height available above Halav bridge is 3.5 metres which is as per Indian Standard code. Halav bridge is mainly used by small vehicles like auto rickshaws, cars, small tempos and height restrictions of 3.5 metres will be imposed after the Metro girder erection on Halav bridge. A no-objection certificate has already been obtained from the BEST & the Mumbai traffic police by MMRDA," a statement said.

"And it is important to note that the U-girders to be erected post Ganpati festival in this specific area as per metro viaduct construction planning,"
it added.