After much delay, construction work on the 33.5-km-long Colaba-Bandra-Seepz underground Metro-3 corridor finally began on Friday at multiple locations between Cuffe Parade and MIDC in Andheri.
After much delay, construction work on the 33.5-km-long Colaba-Bandra-Seepz underground Metro-3 corridor finally began on Friday at multiple locations between Cuffe Parade and MIDC in Andheri. The Metro corridor will run between Cuffe Parade station in south and Seepz station, Andheri (E) in the north with around 27 underground metro stations. The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will be funding 57 per cent of the total cost of Rs 23,136 crore, which could increase with additional delays in the project and is expected to be ready by 2022.
Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC, said, “We are committed to deliver quality and safety to Mumbaikars. Our effort will be to change the way Mumbaikars travel today.” Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), the implementing agency on Friday, said, “Construction work has began today at multiple places in the city such as Cuffe Parade, Azad Maidan, Science Museum Station, Vidya Nagari, Sahar Road and MIDC Station. After completing the Topography survey and barricading – with on-ground Geo-Technical work in progress – this is considered a major step as far as Mumbai’s first fully underground corridor is concerned. The construction activity includes piling for metro stations as well as ground preparation for Tunnel Boring Machine launching shaft.”
The Metro-3 corridor will be a crucial north-south link where it will connect major central business districts (CBD) like that of Nariman Point, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Seepz in Andheri. However, the decision on much controversial metro car depot in Aarey Colony is yet to be taken as the matter is pending in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) after environmentalists have challenged it.
The work of piling and excavation on the corridor began in all seven packages with a workforce of more than 500 of which more than 70 are expats imparting their skill-sets to the project along with local engineers and co-workers.
