Metro-3 works badly hitting businesses

The MMRC has started Metro-3 work painting a rosy picture of development in the city. One cannot say now whether the future of Mumbaikars will be bright or not but the future of many people seems dark due to ongoing work of Metro-3 project.

The local residents where Metro-3 work is underway have lost their sleep due to noise created by machines and environmentalists have started worrying for existence of trees in this area. Besides this, the shopkeepers from Prabhadevi, Dadar, Matunga and Mahim have also started feeling the heat on their businesses.

Due to Metro-3 work, barricades have been installed on Gokhale Road. These barricades are placed barely one to two feet from the shops on this road. This has badly affected businesses of local shopkeepers as there is no space for customers to enter their shops. Hence, they are doing only 30% of their business and are facing the loss of 70% forcing them to seek compensation from the government for their loss of revenue.

As barricades will not be removed for next four-five years, it will badly affect our businesses. We may start thinking of committing suicide if this problem persists, said a shopkeeper.

The Metro-3 construction work has not only been troubling the shopkeepers but also the users of footpaths. Many minor incidents due to barricades have been reported from these areas. One of the shopkeeper said that he does not oppose the development but we are getting grinded under the MMRC. All the shopkeepers are coming together to demand compensation for their losses, he informed.

When contacted to MMRC officials to talk to them on this issue, they are not reachable. The shopkeepers are planning to reach these MMRC officials to register their protest.