Claiming that an underground route is possible for Mumbai Metro's second line from Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has prepared an alternate plan.

Thousands of local residents protested yesterday against the elevated route of Metro's second line at Juhu and Bandra demanding an underground route. However, MMRDA, the project authority, said the underground route is not financially viable and technically feasible.

"We have prepared an alternate underground plan for the second Metro line with the help of experts which has zero displacement," MNS' women wing general secretary Shalini Thackeray told PTI.

Asked if the party has spoken to MMRDA about this, she said, "yes". "We have talked to MMRDA about the issue but there has been no reply so far and unless they get back to us, the party won't submit the plan to them," Thackeray said.

The main opposition from the people is for displacement, as the suburbs are densely populated, she said.

The first Metro line and skywalk have already created traffic problems in Andheri and the second proposed elevated line would increase the woes, Thackeray said.

On MMRDA's reason that proposal for underground route is not financially viable, Thackeray said the Government should not talk about the cost. The project cost always increases due to delay as it did in case of Bandra-Worli sealink, the MNS women leader added.

Thackeray also alleged discriminatory treatment to suburban people. There are five underground projects proposed for the city of which four are for south Mumbai where population is less compared to the suburbs, she said. Even the revenue generation is more in suburbs, she added.