MMRDA Clears Two New Metro Corridors for Completion by 2020-21
Mumbai gets an addition to its metro corridors as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is run by the state, clears two major metro rail projects. Both the projects are expected to take off by 2020-21, run by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, which is a state government initiative.
The two projects are the 40-km Dahisar-Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd line, amounting to Rs 25,605 crore, and the 32-km Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali corridor, amounting to Rs 19,097 cr. The former corridor will reportedly be entirely underground and comprise of 36 stations, while the latter will function with 24 underground and six elevated stations.
International finance agencies will fund half the cost through loans and the central government will carry 20 per cent of the finances. The remaining 30 percent will be taken up by the state government and MMRDA through both equity and debt. On Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired the MMRDA’s board meeting to finalise the decisions.
Last week, the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Metro Transport Private Limited (MMTPL), which is a branch of Reliance Infrastructure, got together and decided to terminate the concession agreement of the Mumbai Metro Line 2 Project (Charkop–Bandra–Mankhurd). The project cost Rs 12,000-crore project but was not able to commence due to the various environmental and procedural issues. The project is being extended to Dahisar with a revised cost of Rs 25, 605 crores.
In August 2009, the state government awarded the terminated project to a consortium headed by Reliance Infra. This was done inviting global bids and the concession agreement between the MMTPL and the state was signed the following year.
According to an MMRDA official, the World Bank is showing interest in the new metro corridor projects with respect to financing. Since there are underground stations involved, the official claims that land acquisition would be minimal, amounting to only three hectares of permanent takeover.
Dahisar-Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd, metro corridor projects, MMRDA, MMRDA official, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, Mumbai Metro Transport Private Limited, Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali corridor
