Mumbai
Frequent flyers may soon be able to experience more than a fast commute to and from the Mumbai airport courtesy the upcoming underground Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz). Not only will the line connect passengers to the airport, but it will also provide options to shop, dine, and hold meetings above the Metro stations.
The three underground Metro stations – Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA)-domestic, Sahar Road metro station and CSIA-international – are being built with three basement floors and buildings which will house retail outlets, food courts, hotels, rooftop restaurants, and commercial spaces.
The stations will be built almost 28-30 metres below ground level (6-7m lower than other underground stations) and will house three basements and buildings that will be 37-41m above ground level. The development is part of the Mumbai International Airport Limited’s (MIAL) larger plan to develop the non-operational area of the airport.
A spokesperson from MIAL confirmed that the authority intends to look at commercial development above the Metro stations but said it is still in the planning stage and can be only commented on later. However, the 2019 MIAL Environment Impact Assessment Report states that the landside development is intended to become a “unique destination”, an “urban activity centre” for a wide range of recreational, cultural, and commercial purposes.
SK Gupta, director (projects), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which is executing the underground Metro-3 corridor, said, “We are working as per the master plan prepared by MIAL which has also given a fixed cost for the development of the stations. All three stations will have three basement floors and buildings above them.”
{{/usCountry}}SK Gupta, director (projects), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which is executing the underground Metro-3 corridor, said, “We are working as per the master plan prepared by MIAL which has also given a fixed cost for the development of the stations. All three stations will have three basement floors and buildings above them.”
{{/usCountry}}As of January 2020, MMRC has completed 55.80% of the work on CSIA-domestic station; 53.05% work on the Sahar Road station; and 49.20% of the CSIA-international Metro station work.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday also visited the under-construction Sahar Road station.
Metro-3 is a 33.5-km corridor connecting the island city to the western suburbs. MMRC is also looking at leasing commercial spaces at its Siddhivikayak, Bandra-Kurla Complex and Cuffe-Parade Metro stations to maximise its non-fare revenue box.