MMRDA revises deadlines of major projects

Similarly,provided Western Railway allots mega blocks for piling work at Andheri station,civil work,construction of stations and signaling for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro line should be completed by May 2012 and trial runs for the route should begin by August next year.

“They need five-hour blocks on the railways to complete work on the first line of metro. I will be coordinating with the railway authorities this week to ensure a solution. Provided that takes place,you should be able to start the metro by next year end,” said Chief Secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad.

Asthana added,“The Right of Way issue on the first Metro line at Asalfa will be solved very soon. The second notification has been issued. Now within a month,we should have the land in our possession.”

Government is hoping to conduct trial run on the three-kilometre stretch between Versova and Andheri by February 2012,a delay of two months from its earlier deadline. The second Metro line on the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd corridor is now expected to be completed till January 2015,against 2014.

Gaikwad said the government was re-looking at the Metro and monorail plans to ensure there is no duplication. “The plan now is to make Wadala the major point of convergence between Metro and monorail. We can increase connectivity with suburbs and take the metro line from Thane,Kapurbawdi via Ghodbunder road to Mira-Bhayander,” he said.