The ambitious infrastructure projects that were supposed to make Mumbai a travellers' paradise, have been consistently missing deadlines and escalating costs. MiD DAY gives you a blow-by-blow account on what ails the city's progress
Graphic: Amit Bandre
Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) METRO (11.07 km)
Cost: Rs 2,356 crore (original). The cost will escalate owing to delays
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Deadlines missed: December 2010, June 2011, March 2012
Current Status: Ninety percent of the civil work is complete and the work of stations is also nearing completion. The construction of the bridge passing over the railway tracks in Andheri is in progress.
Completion date: November 2012. However, MMRDA says it will be operational by March 2013.
Authority speaks: MMRDA Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar said, “Constructing a metro corridor passing through very busy and congested area is a very challenging task which MMRDA-MMOPL is doing successfully. Travelling in the Mumbai Metro will be a lifetime experience for Mumbaikars. The delay in the deadline was because of issues related to various clearances and permissions but now the issues have been sorted out.”
Important points: VAG Metro rail passes over Indian Oil junction at a height of 11 metres. Moving ahead it will pass over railway tracks at Andheri at a height of 10 metres and hereafter it crosses over Jog flyover on Western Express Highway at a height of 22 metres.
Spot 1
The CBM metro rail will pass over the VAG metro rail at a height of 17 metres at the Indian Oil Junction in Andheri west.
Problems: Constructing a line passing over the other will be a daunting task as the Indian Oil junction where these lines are passing is a very important junction and so getting permission from the traffic department to start the work will be a time consuming and difficult task.
Spot 2
VAG metro will pass over the Jog Flyover on Western Express Highway at a height of 22 metres
Churchgate–Virar Elevated Rail Corridor (63.27km)
Cost: Rs 21,000 cr
Deadlines missed: Yet to start, Concession Agreement expected to be signed by May 2013.
Important point: It will be constructed at an elevation of minimum 15 metres.
Spots 3 & 4
The Churchgate–Virar Elevated Rail Corridor will pass between the VAG Metro and the Western Railway tracks below at Andheri. The Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd (CBM) Metro’s line-II will pass above the railway tracks at Bandra at a height of 10-12 metres. At the same place the rail corridor will pass between the CBM Metro and the railway tracks below.
Problems: Two important projects intersect with each other. While constructing the Elevated Rail Corridor, the railways will have to face problems as the metro is passing over the tracks. The construction will be a daunting task for the authorities, especially over the tracks at Bandra and Andheri as the suburban railway services and metro services will be operational at that time.
Spots 5 & 6
The CBM Metro rail line will pass via SV road to Bandra. However, the Metro’s route is blocked by two skywalks at Vile Parle and Santacruz.
Problems: The MMRDA will have to dismantle the parts of Santacruz and Vile Parle skywalks passing over SV Road to make way for the Metro. Pedestrians using the skywalk will be the most affected, as they will have to get down and cross the road.
Worli–Sewri Elevated Connector
Cost: Rs 615 crore
Deadliness Missed: The project is in the planning stage; only the feasibility study has been completed so far.
Current Status: Consultants have been appointed to prepare Detailed Project Report and Bid Process Management.
Completion date: Four years from day tender is awarded.
AuthoritY Speak: An MMRDA official said, “Constructing it will be a very challenging task as it will pass at a height of 26-27 metres. We will have to construct wider pillars with much stronger foundation so that they can take the weight of the connector. In our survey, we have found that the width of many pillars to be built exceed the width of the road they will be built on.”
Spots 7, 8, 9 & 10
The Worli–Sewri Connector that will connect Mumbai Trans Harbour Link with Bandra-Worli Sea Link will be the highest elevated road corridor in the country, at a height of over 25 metres. It will pass above the Elphinstone Flyover on Tulsi Pipe Road. Moving ahead, it will pass above the Churchgate-Virar Elevated Rail Corridor and also over the Elphinstone rail over bridge (ROB). It will next pass above the flyover on Dr Ambedkar Road opposite the F South BMC ward office. After that, it will pass above the Jacob Circle –Wadala monorail line near Wadia Hospital junction.
Problems: The project will be at a height of an eight-storey building. It will also pass through the most congested areas of Elphinstone, and the railway tracks and elevated rail corridor near Elphinstone ROB. These factors make construction extremely difficult.
Jacob Circle–Wadala– Chembur monorail Phase-II
Cost: Rs 2,700 crore (Estimated) Phases I and II.
Deadlines missed: None. Project began in 2009.
Current Status: Construction up to sub-structure work has been completed on five stations.
Completion date: Phase-I: Pre-Commissioning Tests and Trials by Jan-Feb 2013. Phase-II by Nov 2013. Phase-I: 4.5 km Mono tests are being conducted from Feb 2012.
Authority speaks: According to an MMRDA official, “Phase-I will be operational by January 2013 and Phase II in late 2013. Constructing
the monorail is a very tough job as it passes the most congested areas in central Mumbai. Commuters will get a bird’s eye view of Mumbai while travelling in the monorail as it will pass over the Lalbaug flyover.”
Spots 11 & 12
The Jacob Circle–Wadala– Chembur Monorail line will pass over the Currey Road rail over bridge (ROB) and the railway tracks. Moving ahead it will pass above the Lalbaug flyover at a height of over 20 metres.
Problems: Constructing the monorail bridge over Currey Road station and Lalbaug flyover will be extremely difficult as the roads are narrow. Construction will have to be done very carefully.
Spot 13
The Worli-Sewri Connector will pass above the railway tracks at Sewri at a height of over 12 metres
Spot 14
The Wadala–Chembur monorail will pass over railway tracks at Wadala at a height of over 12 metres.
Charkop–Bandra-Mankhurd METRO (32 km)
Cost: Rs 7,660 crore (original). Work has not yet begun.
Deadlines missed: No deadlines missed yet, but it will surely miss the 2013 deadline.
Current Status: The project’s ground-breaking ceremony was conducted by former President Pratibha Patil on August 18, 2009. However, apart from the soil testing work, there has been no other progress. The issue of car depots at Charkop and Mankhurd remains unresolved due to which the line is getting delayed. Completion date: 2016
Authority Speak: An MMRDA official said, “Constructing CBM line is a much difficult task as it passes over the VAG line at Indian Oil in Andheri west and moving ahead it will also pass over railway tracks at Bandra, Kurla and Mankhurd.”
Important points: The CBM Metro line will pass over the VAG metro rail at Indian Oil junction at a height of 17 metres, and over the railway tracks at Bandra at a height of 11 metres. Moving ahead, the line will pass over the railway tracks at Kurla at a height of 22 metres.
Spot 15
The CBM Metro’s line-II will pass over the railway tracks at Mankhurd at a height of over 12 metres.
Santacruz–Chembur Link Road
Cost: Original cost was Rs 114.96 crore when the work started in 2003. Due to delays, the cost has escalated to R420 crore.
Deadlines missed: Dec 2008, Dec 2009, June 2011, Dec 2011, Dec 2012 and March 2013.
Current status: More than 90 per cent of the work is complete. The main reason behind the delays was the issue of resettlement of those residents whose homes were coming in the way of the project, and getting permissions from the concerned railway department.
Completion Date: October 2013
Spot 16
The CBM Metro line–II will pass over the railway tracks at Kurla at a height of over 12 metres
Spot 17
The Santacruz– Chembur Link Road will pass over the tracks at Kurla at a height of over 12 metres.u00a0
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