Complete work on Navi Mumbai Metro by 2013: CM

On Maharashtra day, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan launched the Navi Mumbai elevated metro rail project at Kharghar.

On Maharashtra day, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan launched the Navi Mumbai elevated metro rail project at Kharghar. While the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which is developing it, has said that the first of the three lines of the Belapur-Khandeshwar corridor will be ready by 2014, Chavan on Sunday asked the corporation to expedite work and complete it by 2013.

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The 21.45 km long corridor has been divided into three phases — Belapur-Pendhar (11.10 km), Khandeshwar-Taloja (8.35 km) and the MIDC that will connect the two corridors (2.2 km). It will provide connectivity to the proposed international airport in Navi Mumbai.

The proposed Central Park metro railway station for the Belapur-Pendhar line is expected to cost Rs1,984 crore, while other two lines will cost Rs1,605 crore and Rs574 crore, respectively.

Chavan, who was accompanied by state ministers Ganesh Naik and Sunil Tatkare, who are also the guardian ministers of Thane and Raigad, respectively said, “This ambitious project will change the face of the region. This is the first project that has been taken up by a corporation. Here 67% is being financed by the CIDCO, while the Railways will finance 33% of the project cost.”

Chavan said, “While CIDCO managing director Tanaji Satre has said that the first line of the first phase will be ready in 2014, I believe that if the rolling stock is ordered immediately, the line would be ready in 2013.” To which, Satre said, “I assure all that we shall be able to take a ride in the metro in Navi Mumbai in 2014. There will be 11 stations in the initial stage, four of which will be commercially exploited to help finance the project. We are taking no loan or funding for it.”
State minister Ganesh Naik, who is also the Thane guardian minister said, “There is an urgent need for a metro from Vashi to Airoli to help connect the region to the metro from Ghatkopar-Mulund and also Kalyan.”