₹25 Cr to be spent on each Metro station

The state, in its estimates for the Metro projects earlier, had allocated ₹2crore- ₹2.65 crore for improvement of each station.

With a budget of ₹25 crore for each of the 155 Metro stations across 12 corridors, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is looking at 17 components or facilities in the 500-m radius of each station to improve the last-mile connectivity.

The chief minister-led authority recently passed the multi-modal integration plan for corridor improvement.(HT image)

The chief minister-led authority recently passed the multi-modal integration plan for corridor improvement. It includes parking facilities, bus bays, pick-up and drop area, cycle tracks, signage, improving walkways and junctions, foot overbridges, skywalks, CCTV surveillance, street furniture and streetlighting and curbing on-street parking.

The state, in its estimates for the Metro projects earlier, had allocated ₹2crore- ₹2.65 crore for improvement of each station. However, the amount has been revised to ₹25 crore after a study of 30 stations on Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E). Officials said the actual cost might differ for every station.

According to the minutes of the authority meeting, the MMRDA has also proposed that agencies such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) or others, under whose jurisdiction the Metro station will fall, bear 50% of the cost.

K Vijaylakshmi, chief, transport and communication, MMRDA, said the decision was taken during the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority meeting, where agencies including the Thane Municipal Corporation, agreed in-principle. “We will soon be writing to the agencies. We are in the process of floating tenders to appoint a consultant for the project,” she said.

Last-mile connectivity is a huge issue which the authority is looking at through various platforms. Recently, the MMRDA also launched the Station Access and Mobility Program, along with the World Resources Institute. The programme is a technology-driven challenge inviting innovative ideas for crowd management at Metro stations.