FPJ Impact: BMC Officially Cancels ₹126 Crore Robotic Parking Tower Project Outside Mumbai's Matunga Central Railway Station After Citizens’ Protest

Mumbai: Six months after the citizens launched protest against construction of a 23-stoyered robotic parking tower outside Matunga Central Railway station, citing safety concerns, lack of NOCs and many other violations, the BMC has finally officially informed the citizens that the project of construction Rs 126 crore parking tower has can cancelled.

The Free Press Journal had reported on January 23 that the Additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi held the meeting with the Chief Engineer (Roads and Traffic) and asked to cancel the tender. The minutes of the meeting were awaited; however, the decision was been communicated to the department. The citizens of Matunga, who were had raised strong objections against the project, however, were not officially communicated about the decision.

In an RTI response to activist Chetan Trivedi, the BMC officialy informed the citizens on May 21 that 'in a meeting held on January 9, it was unanimously decided among all concerned departments to foreclose proposal of Elevated Multilevel Electro Car Parking at Matunga Railway Station'.

The documents adds, 'Engineer (D.P.) has stated that, as per SRDP 1991, the plot is not reserved for Public Parking Lot. However, as the plot is adjoining to Matunga Railway station and lying vacant, same was used for parking purpose and Police Chowky is situated on the said plot."

Notably, the plot does not have a CS number and is a road to Matunga Central Railway Station. Despite of the fact, a work order was issued to construct two Robotic Parking towers in the 1500 sq ft land parcel in the congested area outside railway station, in a clear violation of rules and risking safety of commuters in case of disasters.

"If parking lot is proposed on the said plot then it will be congested for the movement of railway passenger. During peak hours chaos may happen for the entry/exit at Matunga Railway Station," the document reads.

The Free Press Journal had first reported on 26th November, 2024 that citizen activists in Matunga are up in arms over the construction of the parking tower outside Matunga Central Railway station, citing the disadvantages and risks to the common public the project would create.

It was later revealed that the project, estimated at Rs 126 crore, has provisional Fire NOC as the plot does not have a city survey number and the project was sanctioned offline.

Meanwhile, as it is more than four months that the project is cancelled, the citizens are waiting for BMC and traffic department to remove the barracading and the container placed on site.

"The barracading and the container is now nothing but encroachment as the project is cancelled. The contractor should have ensured to clear the plot. While BMC and traffic department and pointing at each other to clear the encroachment. The whole fight was to keep the space for public. The druggists misuse the space behind barracading, while the container is occupying space of atleast four vehicles," said Trivedi.

Trivedi said in two recent incidents, the pedestrians were injured because of the barracading and we demand to clear the road at the earliest.