The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is thinking of operating and maintaining all the Metros it is constructing in the city, instead of hiring contractors to do so.
The MMRDA typically builds infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, and hands it over to local bodies to operate and maintain.
A senior official said the authority will soon initiate the process to recruit the expertise required to operate and maintain Metros. “We have enough expertise in our country to run a Metro railway. Even the contractors who will run these Metros will hire people from similar backgrounds, so why not us?” the official asked.
Quality control
MMRDA will take care of only core activities such as maintenance of rolling stock, signalling and tracks, and operations, while contracting out non-core activities such as housekeeping. Senior officials said MMRDA will be able to ensure better quality control if it undertakes the operations.
Sources said the move comes after MMRDA’s experience in dealing with operators of other projects it has commissioned: the Metro Line 1 and the Monorail. It is in constant negotiations with Mumbai Metro One Private Limited on various topics, such as increasing the number of coaches given the popularity, and ticket prices. The authority is also facing difficulties in appointing a new contractor to operate and maintain the Monorail.
“We are building Metro lines across the city. Imagine going through similar issues with several operators. By keeping core operations in-house, we will be able to better serve the people,” said a senior official.
MMRDA is currently executing four Metro lines in the city. Of these, lines 2A and 7 are under various stages of construction and are expected to be completed by 2019. While preliminary soil testing has begun for lines 2B and 4, full-fledged construction is slated to commence after the monsoon. The MMRDA will also float tenders for Line 7’s extension from Dahisar to Mira-Bhayandar next month.
