MMRDA seeks funds for Metro 4 extension, MbPT refuses to share cost

A senior MMRDA official said: “The MbPT has requested us to make the extension underground. Construction of underground Metro costs around three times more than elevated Metro. We have sent a letter regarding sharing costs, which is around Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore.” The official added that the extension would be 8 km long, which is estimated to cost Rs 300 crore per km in case of elevated route. In case its underground, the cost will be more than Rs 750 crore.

A senior MMRDA officer said that the authority was cash-strapped to undertake the extension project till GPO. The land belonged to MbPT and the MMRDA should not be expected to bear the entire cost of the project, he added. Sources in the MMRDA said that if MbPT does not agree on sharing the cost, then the extended route will have to be elevated.

When contacted, MbPT Chairman Sanjay Bhatia said that the two nodal agencies were not at loggerheads but the port trust was unable to bear the expenses of the project. “We don’t have much money to pay them. Both the agencies will find another way to solve this problem,” he said. He added that MMRDA wants land for development of the stations. “If everything goes well then we can think of giving land for Metro stations,” said Bhatia.

According to the current plan, the alignment for Metro 4 starts from Thane and enters Mumbai limits via LBS Marg from Mulund, heads towards Wadala via the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). From Wadala, the Metro will be connected via an extension that will traverse via Rafi Ahmed Kidwai (RAK) Marg and head towards CST.

While the 32-km-long Metro 4 corridor is being funded by Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the MMRDA has decided to take loans from domestic banks for its extension.