Charkop to Mankhurd in 45 minutes

Imagine zipping across Charkop at Kandivli to the Eastern suburb of Mankhurd in 45 minutes. Can’t be done, you say. If you were to hear MMRDA chief T Chandrashekar, who is gung ho about the Metro Rail, the project is purported to save time and be a reliable mode of transport for lakhs of Mumbaikars. Even environmentalists will be hard pressed to criticise a project that will reduce air and noise pollution, decrease our dependency on fossil fuels and reduce accidents on our roadways. Here’s our report on what changes are underway in your neighbourhood.

The second phase of the Metro Rail project will get off the ground on Sunday when the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) starts inviting tenders for the 31.87-km line - three times bigger than the first corridor - on Sunday. Bids for the Rs6,192-cr project will have to be submitted by April 2.

As with the first corridor, the MMRDA will participate in a special purpose vehicle (SPV), with 26 per cent of the equity. 

The second corridor will have two depots - at Charkop and Mankhurd - and 27 stations, including Malad, Kasturi Park, Bangur Nagar, Oshiwara, Samarth Nagar, Shastri Nagar, D N Nagar, JVPD, Vile Parle, Khar, Bandra, BKC, Kurla and Shivaji Chowk. At Charkop, Bandra, Kurla and Mankhurd, there will be easy access from the Metro station to the suburban railway stations. Officials say the running time from Charkop to Mankhurd would be 45 minutes.

Meanwhile the first phase of the Mumbai Metro Rail is on target, says T Chandrashekhar, MMRDA commissioner.

“We have already started the process of acquiring land along the 12-km corridor that extends along the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line,” he says. “We are using the Land Acquisition Act and following the state government’s rehabilitation policy.” 

But the first corridor is going through some hiccups as the Centre has delayed the release of Rs650 cr funds, which is the viability gap funding (VGF) for the project. VGF is the difference between the estimated project cost and the actual bid cost.

A government authority normally fills the gap by raising funds through bonds or loans or by seeking Central assistance.) The project is being jointly constructed by a consortium led by Reliance Energy and MMRDA. 

The VGF proposal has moved from the Union Ministry of Urban Development to the expenditure committee. It is now pending with the Union cabinet. A source says that the entire process may take two to three months for clearance.

“But that does not worry us,” says Chandrashekar. “If it were cleared, it would help or we will raise the money ourselves. The project is not in any danger.”

Commenting on recent statements by the Shiv Sena to hand over the running of the Metro to the BEST Undertaking, Chandreshekar calls it “a political gimmick”. “No one has been prevented from undertaking the project,” he says.

“But the BEST neither has the necessary funds nor the technical expertise to run it. Running the Metro is different from running buses.” Chandrashekhar adds that lack of funding prompted the BEST to drop out of participating in the project in its earlier stages.

“Even the 600 new buses acquired by it are through a World Bank loan,” he says. “Everyone knows the BEST compensates its transport losses from its electricity revenues.”

The next big project on MMRDA’s agenda is the removal of slums surrounding the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. “Survey work is almost 50 per cent complete, and alternate land at Dahisar has been identified for
rehabilitation,” he says.