Metro lines 2A, 7 to be delayed by 3 months: MMRDA chief

Mumbaiites can expect a three-month delay for Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro -7 (Dahisar East -Andheri East) to get operational, Mumbai metropolitan commissioner

Mumbaiites can expect a three-month delay for Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro -7 (Dahisar East -Andheri East) to get operational, Mumbai metropolitan commissioner RA Rajeev said in a webinar, hosted by a media outlet on Tuesday evening. The two lines were to be operational by December this year.

HT Image

“Though we had a workforce of 11,000 labourers at various sites, the work was stopped for a month or two. Now, many migrant workers are looking at going back to their states. So we are expecting a two to three-month delay. The Metros that were to start in December 2020, might start by March-April next year,” Rajeev said.

Though the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had talked about the delay in the two projects when the lockdown was announced in March, this is for the first time that the commissioner has announced revised dates for the two Metro projects.

Rajeev also said that the delay period has been estimated as per the current situation.

“If we see another surge [in Covid-19 cases], we will have to revisit the timelines and finances. These are times of uncertainty. There will be cost escalations and delays that have to be borne,” he said.

The 18.6-km Metro-2A project is estimated to cost ₹6,410 crore, while the 16.5-km Metro-7 project is expected to cost ₹6,208 crore.

MMRDA is the nodal authority for the Mumbai Metro Master Plan, which is looking at implementing a 337-km network in and around the city. MMRDA is also implementing the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) – a 22-km sea-bridge connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Rajeev said that MMRDA has resumed work at many sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region now and the workers are taking due precautions.

“All the workers are wearing masks and adhering to social distancing wherever possible. Hand sanitisers have been provided at all sites. We take two meetings a day to guide them on the precautions to be taken,” he said.

The state agency is also building a make-shift 1,008-bed capacity hospital at the MMRDA grounds and is also planning to construct another one at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Rajeev said.