Mumbai Metro seeks Delhi counterpart's help to expedite project

CM Devendra Fadnavis wants lengthening of the Metro Rail to 120-km to be completed before next assembly polls slated for 2019

The Maharashtra government has asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s technical support to increase the network to 120 km from 11.4 km now.

DMRC, which had created a 200-km-plus Metro network in Delhi, is sending a team this week to Mumbai to make a presentation on how to expedite the implementation of the Mumbai Metro-II Dahisar Mankhurd corridor (40.2 km), Mumbai Metro-III Colaba-SEEPZ (Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone) corridor (33 km) and the Wadala Kasarvadavali corridor (32 km). These three Metro lines entail an investment of Rs 67,838 crore.

DMRC was associated with Tata Consultancy Services and the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, in May 2003 to prepare a master plan for Mumbai Metro and the detailed project reports for priority corridors. The master plan included nine corridors covering 146.5 km, out of which 32.5 km was proposed to be underground. However, the master plan was subsequently tweaked.

Chief Minister Devendra Fandavis met DMRC officials last week and discussed its involvement to expedite development.



A government official told Business Standard, “Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has said the Mumbai Metro II and III and Wadala-Kasarvadavali corridors are expected to be operational by 2020-21. However, the chief minister has indicated that he wants 109 km completed before the next Assembly election, in October 2019. DMRC’s technical support will be the key, especially to mitigate the risk while laying underground lines. DMRC has adequate experience in tunneling.”

An MMRDA official said DMRC might deploy technical manpower for the speedy development of Metro lines. The Metro-II corridor (36 stations) and Metro-III corridor (27 stations) would be underground. The 32-km Wadala Kasarvadavali corridor would have 24 underground and six elevated stations.

Metro III corridor project has been in the news due to protests and objections by various political parties and non-government organisations on various issues relating to resettlement, rehabilitation and environment protection.