Difficult to meet excavation deadline: MMRC officials

Mumbai: Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) officials have expressed doubts over the completion of the excavation work for Metro-3 corridor (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) before the next monsoon and are hoping that the time limits would be relaxed. Currently, the work can be carried on till 10 pm, however, according to an MMRC official, 40 per cent work will be hampered if the pace of work remains the same.

“The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has set May 31 as the deadline, and we are expected to complete the excavation works before it. However, with the current work timings, it will be difficult to complete the work before monsoon because the amount of time in a day is limited. Counting from now, we have just 190 days to complete the work,” said a senior MMRC official on a condition of anonymity.  

The tunnelling work was started from the Nayanagar launching shaft at Mahim last week, and as per the work timings the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) can cover the distance of 8-12 meters in a day, this may increase if the timings are extended, added the official. The MMRC needs to complete the piling works and excavation work of stations before the monsoon.

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of 293 families in Girgaum-Kalbadevi belt is underway at a slow pace. “The progress is slow right now, the Mhada has started verification of the residents to know their eligibility before rehabilitation,” added the official.

The tunnelling work of the entire corridor is expected to be completed by 2019, and all 17 TBMs will come out after finishing the tunnelling work. Earlier, Ashwini Bhide confirmed that the entire project would be completed by December 2021. Meanwhile, the work from Aarey to Bandra- Kurla Complex (BKC) will be completed by June 2021.