Mumbai’s Metro-2A, 7 trial runs delayed, likely in March 2021

Mumbai

The under-construction Metro line at Goregaon (East) is expected to begin trial runs by March 2021.(HT Photo)

The uncertainty owing to the Covid-19 pandemic has further delayed the trial runs for Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E).

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is now looking at starting the trial runs from March 2021 instead of January 2021. The MMRDA officials said the pandemic has resulted in delaying the manufacturing of several crucial elements required for both – the civil works and the trains.

A senior official, who did not wish to be named, said, “There are some crucial elements required for the rakes, which are stuck in Japan. Similarly, civil works have also been affected because manufacturing has taken a severe hit.”

The rakes are being manufactured by the Bengaluru-based Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML).

The two corridors, part of the 337-km Mumbai metro master plan, were initially supposed to be operational by December 2020. The official also said, “The station works are in progress and we have also got adequate workforce at the site now, which was a major issue in the initial months of the lockdown.”