Metro-6 in Mumbai to be at a height of 38m above ground

Part of the corridor to run above 3 stretches, including Metro-4 line, in Kanjurmarg

A part of the upcoming Metro-6 corridor (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli) will be constructed 38m — the height of a 12-storey building — above three stretches at the Gandhinagar junction in Kanjurmarg. This elevated stretch will be the tallest among all upcoming Metro corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The other corridors are being built at an average of 16m from the ground.

Picture for representation only. (HT Photo)

The corridor will be above the LBS Marg, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and the upcoming Metro-4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavli) line.

This line will be 20m above the ground. Both corridors will also have stations at the junction and be connected via a foot overbridge (FoB).

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is executing both projects, is looking at initiating construction on this stretch in Kanjurmarg post monsoon.

The station for Metro-6 will be Kanjurmarg and for Metro-4, it will be Gandhinagar.

“The biggest challenge will be to tackle the heavy traffic at both LBS Marg and the JVLR. We will also take extra safety precautions and work in tandem with the traffic police,” said a senior official from MMRDA, who did not wish to be named.

The official also said that the access to the stations is being planned via escalators and elevators. On being asked about building two stations at a distance of just 100m, the official said, “There is a catchment for both the stations.”

The authority has already started work on both the corridors.

While Metro-4 will provide connectivity to the neighbouring city of Thane, Metro-6 is planned to boost east-west connectivity in the city.

Many citizens, however, feel that the stretch might also get congested further owing to the plan.

Nitin Killawala, an architect who has been demanding a re-routing of Metro-6 said, “All these junctions are major traffic intersections. A Metro is a huge intervention at such junctions, which is only going to make it more cluttered.”

“Further, after the construction, these roads also cannot be improved, forget making it more pedestrian friendly or greener,” said Killawala.