Government clears two metro projects

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government cleared two metro projects planned in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), costing around Rs 15,000 crore combined, on Tuesday.

The two metro projects are: Thane–Bhiwandi-Kalyan Metro-5 and the Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli Metro-6 corridors. The government said that the projects, which are expected to be completed by 2021, would save fuel, time and improve environment.

The Thane –Bhiwandi- Kalyan Metro-5 route will be 24-km long, with 17 stations and will be built at a cost of Rs 8,416 crore. The route’s expected daily ridership is 2.29 lakh in 2021 and 3.34 lakh in 2031. The route will start from Kapurbawadi of Thane and end at Kalyan APMC.

The Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli Metro-6 corridor will be 14.5-km long and be built at a cost of Rs 6,672 crore, It will have 13 stations. The route’s expected daily ridership is 6.5 lakh in 2021 and 7.69 lakh in 2031.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said there is a need for the projects in his campaign speeches during municipal elections in March 2017. Connecting Thane to Kalyan via Bhiwandi and Andheri to Vikhroli via Powai will be a major help to the transportation system of the MMR area.

While the Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan route has been one of the most talked-about metro projects, the Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli route will connect the western suburban region to the central suburban region. The latter route will have stops at SEEPZ, IIT Powai and Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road.

Work on Metro Phase Two and Three is currently going on war footing in Mumbai and suburban areas. Both these phases are expected to be completed by December 2019 latest.