Route of underground Metro 11 from CSMT to Wadala could be tweaked

The route of Mumbai’s second underground metro corridor, from CSMT to Wadala, could be tweaked to cover heavily congested areas in south Mumbai

Mumbai: The route of Mumbai’s second underground metro corridor, from CSMT to Wadala, could be tweaked to cover heavily congested areas in south Mumbai. The proposed new route is likely to cover areas such as Crawford Market, Mohammad Ali Road, Gateway of India, Fort and Byculla, as opposed to the current plan comprising five stations on the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) land.

Crawford Market - Traffic HT Photo by Santosh Harhare 10-04-06

Senior officials in the Maharashtra government said a fresh proposal is being made to tweak the alignment of the 12.74 km Metro 11 based on the technical and financial feasibility of the detailed project report (DPR). The final call on the matter is expected to be taken by June.

“In the new alignment being studied, we are looking at the possibility of catering areas where an underground metro will help the movement of people. These are locations that need better modes of public transportation. There will be additions and subtractions to the number of stations on Metro 11 based on the need and alignment,” said a state government official.

The current DPR includes 11 stations: Wadala (Bhakti Park), Ganesh Nagar, BPT Hospital, Sewree Metro, Hay Bunder, Coal Bunder, Darukhana, Wadi Bunder, Clock Tower, Carnac Bunder and CSMT Metro.

“What is the point of having stations if they cannot be accessed by citizens? Realignment is therefore being looked at,” said another official. The ₹16,000-crore project is expected to be completed in about five years and the line could be operational by 2030.

The underground Metro 3 (Seepz-Bandra-Colaba) and Metro 11 lines will complement each other with north-south connectivity from the western and eastern suburbs. There is also a proposal to connect Metro 11 with Metro 3 and CSMT suburban rail stations through a subway. Once Metro 11 becomes functional, the heavy reliance on buses and taxis on the Byculla-CSMT-Colaba stretch is expected to diminish significantly. Traffic on suburban rail is also expected to be impacted.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL), entrusted with the execution of the 33.5-km Metro 3 corridor, is also taking up the Metro 11 project. Metro 11 is an extension of Metro 4 and 4A, covering Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavli-Gaimukh. Passengers hopping onto the line at Thane’s Ghodbunder Road will be able to travel up to south Mumbai.