CST-Panvel project to join Metro

The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is in talks with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and City Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) to integrate the CST to Panvel elevated corridor project with their Metro projects and provide a switching point at stations like Mankhurd and Belapur.

MRVC, which seems to be more keen to work on the CST-Panvel project because of lack of land acquisition issues, approached the other two city planning authorities late last year and has since been in talks over the integration. The MMRDA’s Metro from DN Nagar-Mankhurd-Mandala Metro-2B will be crossing paths with MRVC’s Mankhurd station, which lies on the CST–Panvel corridor. From here connectivity to the international airport will be provided by Cidco’s Metro corridor from Belapur to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).

The MRVC has said that the commuters travelling from the airport to the city as well as Navi Mumbai’s suburbs itself will benefit if the stations are located next to each other. “The stations should be such that if not located at one concourse there is the connectivity for the commuter to get down from the elevated fast train at Belapur and get into Cidco’s Metro towards the airport, or people who catch the MMRDA Metro from South Mumbai to get down at Mankhurd and make their way to Panvel in our elevated corridor. Each project in itself is massive so you can imagine if all three of us have to co-ordinate, it is quite a task. But we will get there,” said an MRVC official on condition of anonymity.