As per the projected timeline, MMRDA commenced the maiden trials along a 20 km stretch of the overhead metro corridors, 2A and 7, on Monday. The Maharashtra CM flagged off the demo tests today, unrolling a festive spirit to honour the benchmark achievement. Reportedly, the Deputy CM, Mumbai Mayor along with other eminent cabinet ministers and MMRDA officials were present during the trial inauguration at the Akurli Metro Station.
This stretch will be launched as the second arm of the suburban metro corridor in the MMR, after 7 long years of Mumbai’s solitary metro line, Metro 1. Authorities aim to commission commercial services along this sweep in two phases, starting September 2021.
Mumbai Metro 2.0 begins test runs!
The Maharashtra CM kicked off trial runs along the first 20 km phase on Monday, at the overhead metro 2A Yellow Corridor and 7 Red Line, from Dhanukarwadi to Goregaon East. Over the next few days, the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority will conduct trials of the sub-systems and other equipment, under dynamic speed and condition, along the two lines. For these, 6-car rakes will be commissioned in two phases, starting September 2021 and finally by January 2022.
The Yellow Line, 2A, is a completely elevated stretch of 18.6 km between Dahisar and DN Nagar. It is scheduled to have 17 stations, which will be collectively built at a cost of around ₹6,400 crores. On the other hand, Red Line 7, will expand from Dahisar East to Andheri, along a 16.5 km long fully overhead corridor with 13 stations. The estimated budget of this stands at ₹6,200 crores.
Reportedly, the initial phase of the ‘Mumbai Metro 2.0’ will cover 9 stations each for both the lines, covering a distance of 10.5 km (Line 2A) and 9.2 km (Line 7). Both routes will effectively cut down the current 75 to 90 minute travel time to barely 25 minutes. Daily ridership has been forecasted at over 600,000 in a decade, besides helping to dissolve the Mumbai traffic sneers.
The new ‘Made in India’ sleek rakes were also inaugurated here, which generated a frenzy among commuters in the northwestern suburbs and the residents. Several people climbed atop their terraces and balconies, to film and photograph the new metros during the speed trials and the videos are currently trending as viral content on social media.
Commendable work by the MMRDA Authorities
कोविड -१९ महामारी ने कामगार स्थलांतर, विविध देशांकडून साठा खरेदी करणे आणि लॉकडाउन निर्बंध यासारखे अनेक अडथळे निर्माण केले…
परंतु आम्ही “मुंबई काही मिनटात” च्या उद्दीष्ट्यासाठी संपूर्ण कार्यबलने दर्शविलेल्या वचनबद्धतेबद्दल आपले कौतुक सामायिक करू इच्छित आहोत. pic.twitter.com/w6k4ypWJpL
— MMRDA (@MMRDAOfficial) May 31, 2021
Lauding the MMRDA for the achievements, the CM highlighted the rapid completion of work here, despite two strong waves of the COVID-19, the consequent restrictions and other challenges. Work did not stop here and even the setbacks of the lockdown were harnessed to maximise work productivity. The authorities also took this opportunity to inform that the remaining 15.1 km corridor will be made operational in the second phase.
The CM also performed the foundation-laying ceremony of the Controlled Access Subway-Elevated Road Project on Western Express Highway. This highway will give direct acess to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminals 1 and 2, along with other flyovers and bridges.
