Earlier, services were to be started in phases but now the whole corridor will be operational by the end of the year
The New Year has started on a positive note for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro line 1.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which had earlier planned to make the metro run the course of its 11.07-km stretch in phases, has now decided to throw open the entire line by December 2013.
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End in sight: Work on the VAG Metro rail project underway in Chakala, Andheri (East). When completed, the project will connect Chakala to the Andheri Railway Station. Pic/Vishal Yadav
“As the issue of construction near Maheshwar temple and Sarvoday hospital was pending, we thought of starting the line in phases between stations at Versova and Airport Road, and take it further later,” said officials from MMRDA. “As the issue is resolved now, we are confident of starting services on the entire corridor by December 2013.”
“The track-laying work from Versova to Andheri market is already complete and the same is also in progress between Andheri Station (East) up to Airport Road station,” MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said. “In order to complete the work at the earliest, the pace of the work has also been increased.”
The work regarding the desk slab of the main bridge passing over railway tracks in Andheri is also nearing completion. A religious structure, in the way of the corridor near the railway tracks in Andheri, was causing some difficulty but that issue has been sorted.
“The electrification and signalling work is also in progress. At this rate, we might be able to conduct a partial trial run on the corridor by March-April.” An MMRDA official added.
The 11.07-km-long corridor is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,356 crore and is the first metro corridor to connect the east and west.
11.07 km
The length of the VAG metro corridor
Rs 2,356 cr
The cost of construction of the corridor
21
Time in minutes it will take to cover the entire distance as opposed to the current 90 minutes by road u00a0
Benefits of VAG corridor
>> The metro will connect western suburbs to the eastern suburbs through rail for the first time.
>> It will help in reducing vehicular pollution and also provide rail-based access to the MIDC, SEEPZ and other commercial developments.u00a0
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