Maharashtra sanctions ₹1,163 crore for Metro 3

Around 98% of work on the corridor has been completed and the first phase between Aarey and BKC is likely to be opened to the public this September

Mumbai: The state government has sanctioned a sum of ₹1,163 crore for Metro 3, the city’s first underground metro corridor connecting Aarey in the western suburbs with Colaba in south Mumbai. Around 98% of work on the corridor has been completed and the first phase between Aarey and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is likely to be opened to the public this September. The second phase of the corridor, from BKC to Colaba, is expected to be commissioned by December 2024.

Mumbai, India - July 23, 2022 : A bird's eye view of Mumbai Metro-3 car shed at Aarey Colony, Goregaon, in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, July 23, 2022. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The need for an alternate mode of public transit like metro rail assumes significance after the Bombay High Court on Wednesday slammed the railways for carrying commuters like cattle in suburban local trains while hearing a public interest litigation on frequent deaths of commuters.

At the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, the state government sanctioned ₹1,163 crore for Metro 3, taking the total cost of the corridor to ₹37,275.50 crore from the earlier ₹23,000 crore. The government will provide the funds directly to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation instead of routing it through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), a major funder of Metro 3, told Hindustan Times that the project had taken longer than expected owing to delays on account of land acquisition, securing necessary approvals and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saito Mitsunori, chief representative, JICA India, said the project was now on track and the progress was both steady and satisfactory. “Mumbai Metro Line 3 is a priority project for the government of Japan and JICA, and a long-awaited project for the citizens of Mumbai, which faces a serious problem of deteriorating traffic and increased pollution. I expect the project to be completed in the near future,” said Mitsunori.

Completion of work on the Metro 3 corridor is imperative to improving traffic congestion and decreasing pollution in Mumbai, said the JICA India chief. “Metro 3 is the most important transport corridor in the city as it connects several major landmarks, key educational institutions, and key business centers. We intend to further intensify our efforts to complete the project under the leadership of MMRCL,” he said.

On escalation of the project cost, he said, “Such price escalation due to external factors is sometimes unavoidable, especially for large-scale projects in major cities such as Mumbai. The revised project cost has been verified for its appropriateness through discussions among stakeholders from the governments of India as well as Japan.” Mitsunori did not disclose the current disbursement status of loans.