Mumbai: Residents of the western suburbs have proposed a 5.25-km underground section to the Metro 2B project, between D.N. Nagar and Santacruz, including a 750-metre spur line to better connect with the airport.
The proposal made during a presentation attended by residents of Bandra and Khar suggested that the elevated Metro 2B line be converted to an underground corridor from Santacruz to Bandra, to replace the elevated line planned from D.N. Nagar to Bandra.
The proposal also suggests connecting the Metro 2B to the underground Metro 3 line at the airport and at Mahim, in order to have better integration of the two lines.
The current plan for Metro 2B involves a 23.5-km elevated corridor connecting D.N. Nagar to Mankhurd. People in the western suburbs held a meeting on June 11 to voice their discontent about Metro 2B not being an underground construction, saying this will only increase congestion of the major arterial roads along its path.
“Our proposal includes a 4.5-km underground corridor connecting D.N. Nagar to Santacruz. In the current plan, this stretch will be served by an elevated Metro, but we have proposed an underground line. A 750-metre spur line, also underground, will connect Santacruz bus depot to the airport station of Metro 3,” said Nitin Killawala, architect, and resident of JVPD scheme.
This, residents said, will give people from the northern and western suburbs direct access to the domestic and international terminals, besides giving them direct connectivity to south Mumbai.
The residents also support the construction of an underground metro for the 7.5-km stretch from Santacruz to Mahim, which will not be aligned on S.V. Road, but fall between S.V. Road and Carter Road. “We have also proposed a second point of connection with the Metro 3 at Mahim, which could be at Sitladevi station. If need be, then the Metro authorities can plan a new station, since the distance between Sitladevi and Dharavi stations is too much,” said Mr. Killawala.
As per the presentation made by Mr. Killawala, the 5.25-km corridor of Metro 2B would cost ₹1,962 crore, at ₹356 crore per kilometre, but the cost can be offset by the amount saved on rolling stock (such as Metro coaches). Included in the proposal is a plan for a ramp after D.N. Nagar, so that the underground section of Metro 2B can continue over the ground to Dahisar in accordance with the official plans, as Metro 2A.
Ashish Shelar, MLA from Bandra West, and president of the BJP’s Mumbai unit, said, “We cannot have an ego and be adamant that what has been planned by the authorities is the only way forward. We will take this proposal ideated by the citizens and make a presentation on it to the authorities. While the final say in the matter belongs to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, if construction as per the original plan is carried out, we will do our best to ease the burden of the citizens.”
Highlighting a few hurdles in the process of constructing an underground Metro, P.K. Sharma, project director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, who is a consultant for Metro 2B, said, “The cost of civil work for the underground project is five times that of the elevated project. The cost of running the underground Metro, after the project has been completed, is also two-and-a-half times that of the elevated project. Additionally, we cannot build the underground Metro without shutting the road, and doing that every one kilometre or so here will not be feasible. Across the country, Metro projects have been constructed above the ground wherever possible.”
