Metro 2 to be built in three phases, 2 other routes also on cards

The next stage of the Mumbai Metro project will see phase-wise completion of the 40-km-long Dahisar-Bandra-Mankhurd project, besides the construction of two other mass transit routes.

The next stage of the Mumbai Metro project will see phase-wise completion of the 40-km-long Dahisar-Bandra-Mankhurd project, besides the construction of two other mass transit routes.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency for the Mumbai Metro, on Monday said the Metro II project will be executed in three parts to ensure a smoother and a faster execution of the project. These include the Mankhurd-BKC, Andheri-Dahisar and BKC-Andheri routes.

While the Mankhurd-BKC and Andheri-Dahisar phases will be taken up soon after they are found to be feasible, the BKC-Andheri stretch may not be taken up in the near future because it involves various hurdles such as land crunch and congested roads.

The agency will also build two other Metro lines along with the Metro 2 line.

The first route will be the JVLR-Kanjurmarg Metro line to be constructed along the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR). The MMRDA had originally planned this line only till Seepz, but has now extended it to JVLR.

A second Metro line will be constructed from Andheri (East) to Dahisar (East) along the Western Express Highway (WEH). This line will connect to both Metro 1 (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) and the JVLR-Kanjurmarg lines.

The MMRDA has roped in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to carry out a feasibility study of these new Metro projects and subsequently, to prepare a detailed project report.

MMRDA commissioner UPS Madan said, “These Metro projects will be developed on a cash contract mode, and we are working on various possible funding options available to us. The project cost is expected to be Rs350 crore a km.”

All these lines will be constructed as elevated corridors, putting an end to speculation for now over whether the city will get an underground or an elevated metro. All future Metro lines — except Metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) and Metro 4 (Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali) — will be constructed as elevated corridors.