The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to allow the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) the use of heavy machinery or transportation vehicles at night for the Metro III line work, observing that it will disturb the residents.
The MMRCL had sought the court’s permission to bring heavy vehicles to the construction sites in South Mumbai during the night hours to transport construction material and debris.
A bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar, however, said that it could not pass such a “blanket order”.
The bench was hearing a writ petition, filed by advocate Robin Jaisinghani, alleging a violation of noise pollution norms by the MMRCL in the construction of the Metro III line.
Acting on the above petition, the court had last month restrained the MMRCL from carrying out any construction or ancillary work on the Metro III line between 10 pm and 6 am.
Today, the MMRCL’s counsel, Kiran Badalia, told the HC that considering the above prohibitory order of the court, and a recent circular of the city traffic police that bans heavy vehicles in South Mumbai from 7 am till midnight, it was facing difficulties in carrying out construction work for Metro III.
The MMRCL’s request, however, was vehemently opposed by the petitioner, who argued that the “sound from transportation vehicles was a major source of noise pollution”.
The bench, meanwhile, suggested that the MMRCL time its work in a manner that it does not need to use heavy vehicles after 1 pm.
