Bollywood-themed ‘beautification’ below Metro 2 scrapped

Suburban Mumbai guardian minister Ashish Shelar confirmed to HT that he had instructed MMRDA officials to scrap the project on Tuesday

MUMBAI: After receiving flak from Bandra residents, including the Congress’ former civic councillor Asif Zakaria, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided not to go ahead with the Bollywood-themed beautification project planned below Metro 2B. The development authority is executing Mumbai Metro 2, which connects Dahisar East with Mandale in Mankhurd via Bandra and Kurla.

Mumbai, India - Nov. 28, 2024: the bollywood themed gallery at Bandra West below Metro 2B in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, November 28, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

“I have learnt that there was a meeting held today (Tuesday) between MMRDA officials and the Mumbai Suburban guardian minister, where it was decided to shelve this project, as it faced stiff resistance from Bandra residents,” Zakaria told Hindustan Times. He also posted on X announcing this and terming it ‘People’s power’. “Finally, better sense prevailed. Victory for citizens’ voices!!! The proposed wasteful ₹300-crore Bollywood-themed project under Metro 2 line from Bandra to Juhu has been scrapped after I first raised the issue with regular follow-ups, and citizens joined in through our signature campaign opposing this wasteful expenditure,” read the post.

For a little over a year now, Zakaria has been opposing the beautification project which was proposed on the road median. In fact, this was one of the points of his assembly election campaign last year. Going by Zakaria’s claims, the project had procedural flaws such as no tenders, no expression of interest, a consultant being paid under variation without sanction, and no maintenance plans.

MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee did not respond to Hindustan Times’ attempt to get his version. Suburban Mumbai guardian minister Ashish Shelar confirmed to HT that he had instructed MMRDA officials to scrap the Bollywood-themed beautification project in the meeting held on Tuesday.

A part of Metro 2B was to be inaugurated last week when prime minister Narendra Modi visited Mumbai but has now been scheduled for October 31. For now, only a small section between Mandale to Diamond Garden in Chembur will be opened to citizens.