Benjamin reviews metro corridor,Cabinet nod on the cards

There are 15 metro stations on this corridor.

“I have found the entire stretch feasible and there is no issue except some concerns over the corridor from Mangalwar Peth and railway station will need additional infrastructure to sort out the issue,’’ Benjamin speaking to The Indian Express on Saturday said.

Post review,it was suggested that a portal structure would be used to address this corridor.

The metro was to be approved in the earlier Cabinet meet,but was postponed.

With several issues and discussions on an underground or an elevated metro,DMRC had stated in the report that an underground metro was not feasible and PMC should stick to an elevated metro.

Of the six routes proposed,the Vanaz-Ramwadi stretch will be taken up first,which is estimated to cost Rs 2,593 crore.

A notification has been issued under the Metro Act with the Centre making it clear that it would provide funds to metro projects only under the Metro act and not under the Railways Act as done earlier.

Of the Rs 2,593 crore for the project,the state and Centre will contribute 40 per cent of the cost,while the corporation would have to raise 10 per cent,while the remaining 50 per cent is being deliberated to be raised through loans or by offering the project on a build operate and transfer or public private partnerships.

The other proposed route of the project that has been proposed in the first phase is a 17 km route from Swargate to PCMC to cost Rs 5,391crore,while four other routes — Shivajinagar to Hinjewadi,Deccan to Bund Garden,Swargate to Katraj and PCMC to Nigdi which is to be around 44 km has been proposed in the second phase.