As incentive,plan to club contracts for Monorail corridors 2 and 3

The MMRDA plans to build the 30 km second link,Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan,at around Rs 3,750 crore. “But the project may not be economically lucrative for the contractors considering the number of people expected to use the service in these areas,” said a senior MMRDA official. “We are therefore contemplating awarding the Bandra-BKC corridor,too,to the same contractor.” The corridor would be linked to the first corridor,now under construction,from Jacob Circle to Chembur via Wadala.

MMRDA officials said the 8-km Bandra-BKC corridor is a small one,but very lucrative considering its extension to the first corridor. The link will cost another Rs 1,000 crore.

The MMRDA has appointed Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System Ltd,a joint venture of the Delhi Government and Infrastructure Development Finance Company,as consultants. The final report of this project is expected soon.

“Through the joint contract,we hope the project also become economically feasible for the private player and thus the Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan link can be completed,” the official said.

The MMRDA has decided to go slow on the extension of the Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan route to Badlapur. In September,the MMRDA had asked RITES to conduct a feasibility study and prepare an alignment. The corridor was to cover the far distant suburbs like Ulhasnagar and Ambernath,thus giving commuters an option other than the railway.