Maharashtra government on Wednesday approved the use of standard gauge for its ambitious Mumbai metro project.
MUMBAI: Maharashtra government on Wednesday approved the use of standard gauge for its ambitious Mumbai metro project.
"Choosing standard gauge over broad gauge will result in a saving of Rs 1027 crore in the total project cost," Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters after the state cabinet meeting here.
However, the total cost of the project would go up by Rs 3000 crore with the Cabinet on Wednesday approving extension of the underground section of the project till Mahim, he said.
Earlier, the underground section of the project was planned between Colaba and Mahalaxmi, Deshmukh said. The Cabinet approved making the stretch between Colaba and Mahim underground, he said.
Replying to a query, Deshmukh said it was true that the Railways had expressed their opposition to use of standard gauge (1435mm) instead of broad gauge (1676 mm).
"The Central Government had appointed a committee on the issue and had later left it to the state government to take a final decision on the matter," he said.
The Chief Minister said both the gauges have their own merits. "We chose standard gauge as it is universally used and also for the fact that it needs lesser amount of land acquisition", he said.
The state government on May 18 approved the Phase-I of the Mumbai Metro Rail Project worth Rs 2356 crore to the consortium led by Reliance Energy Ltd (REL) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation of the project in June and the work on the first corridor of Phase-I -- the 11-km long Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route -- will start by October, Deshmukh said.
The approval came a week after Reliance Consortium reduced the viability gap funding (VGF) from Rs 1251 crore to Rs 650 crore, as desired by the state government.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}