Mumbai: Metro may pass through port land

Apart from Metro Three, there could be another metro corridor connecting south Mumbai with the rest of the city, if state authorities find it feasible.

Apart from Metro Three, there could be another metro corridor connecting south Mumbai with the rest of the city, if state authorities find it feasible.

Follow the Centre’s decision to develop 1,000 acres of Mumbai Port Trust land, the urban development body Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is contemplating extending the proposed Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavali metro corridor to Colaba. The corridor will pass through Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) area.

“We are going to see what kind of development is proposed in the port land development plan. If we find there is scope for enough ridership, we will extend the metro corridor to Colaba,” said MMRDA commissioner UPS Madan.

As per the master plan for metros in Mumbai, a metro corridor was planned from Hutatma Chowk to Ghatkopar, which was supposed to pass through the port area. However, the plan was curtailed as the port area was not developed and thus wouldn’t be able to fetch many commuters.

But after the new central government decided to open up the port land for development recently, MMRDA revived its plans in order to see whether the metro could extend to south Mumbai.

Madan said that MMRDA would only take a final call on the metro corridor after the central government approves the port land development plan, currently being prepared by a special committee.

“In the meantime, work on the existing metro plan will go as per schedule,” he said.

MMRDA is currently developing the Metro Three project, which stretches from Colaba to Seepz.

The 30-km Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavali metro corridor will start from somewhere near the Wadala monorail station. It will then connect with Metro One at Ghatkopar and end at Kasarvadavali on Ghodbunder Road after passing through congested areas of Thane city.

MMRDA has prepared detail project report (DPR) for the project, which is yet to receive approval from the state government.