Mumbai: Maharashtra cabinet approves 2 new metro projects, expects to reduce 30 % load

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led state cabinet on September 11 approved two more metro projects for Mumbai city. These two new metro projects would have a total length of 13.581 km and likely to extend it to neighbouring city Mira-Bhayandar. The new metro projects would cost Rs 6607 Cr to Maharashtra government.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Dahisar-Mira Bhayander route ie Metro line 9, and Metro 7 A that is an extension of Metro line 7 to connect Andheri and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport. According to a senior CMO official, “The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has been empowered to raise funds for the projects.”

The official elaborated the route of new metro projects, saying, the Dahisar-Mira Bhayander route will be almost 10.41 km long elevated corridor and will have 11 stations, whereas the Andheri-CSMI airport Metro 7 A will be 3.17 km long and out of which 2.11 km will be underground.

If these new metro projects start functioning, this would reduce the commuting time between the two neighbouring cities by almost 40 minutes. While the project is expected to be completed by 2022, when it will serve 8.47 lakh commuters. The number of commuters utilising the services is likely to rise to 11.12 lakh by 2031, the officer said adding that according to the projections this Metro line is expected to take off 30 per cent load of the suburban railway network reducing the carbon footprint equivalent to the emission of 16,268 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.

If we look at the current situation in Mumbai, Mumbai has only one Metro playing on the corridor, while  four others are in various stages of construction. With today’s two lines the government has approved in all five lines and one more is in the tendering stage. This adds up to in all 10 lines with a combined length of 264 km and over Rs 1 lakh crore of investment.

Those two metro lines are currently under construction are likely to be operational by next year, in which India will also vote for the Lok Sabha election too.

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