01 June,2021 05:37 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
A Metro car near Mith Chowky in Malad on Day 1 of the test run on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde
The trial run for Metro 2A and 7 lines was flagged off on Monday, seven years after Mumbai saw its first such mass transit system chugging between Versova and Andheri. The new routes, also called Yellow and Red lines, will become partially operational in October.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched the trial runs on 2A, connecting Dahisar and DN Nagar, and line 7 that links Andheri and Dahisar. For the next few months, the test runs will be done between Dahanukarwadi and Aarey stations.
"I want to congratulate MMRDA and all those people working behind the construction of Metro corridors as fighting against all odds and pandemic they made this happen," he said, praising the "worldclass" stations and the made-in-India trains.
The 17.5-km Metro 2A or Yellow line and the 18.6-km Metro 7 or Red line are expected to decongest the important Western Express Highway.
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MMRDA Commissioner R A Rajeev said the routes will be fully opened for the public by January 2022.
Also Read: Mumbai: MMRDA to open 20-km stretch of two lines in October giving people access to 18 stations
The trial run on the 19.7-km stretch will start from Aarey on Line 7 and end at Charkop Depot on 2A via Dahisar (E) station. This will act as an interchange between the two Metro lines passing over the Dahisar river, and railway lines.
The expenses incurred till April 30 for Line 2A is Rs 3,525 crore and Line 7 is Rs 2,410 crore.
Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the construction of two underpasses on the Western Express Highway near the start of Sahar elevated Road will reduce traffic jams near the airport during peak hours.
"My aim is to provide pedestrian-friendly things along the Western and Eastern Express highways. We also have plans to design pedestrian friendly roads along the Andheri-Ghatkopar link Road, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road and Santacruz-Chembur Link Roads," he said.
The Yellow line will have stations of Dahisar (E), Upper Dahisar, Kandarpada, Mandapeshwar, Eksar, Borivali (W), PahadiEksar & Kandivali (W), while the stations on the Red line are Ovaripada, Rashtriya Udyan, Devipada, Magathane, Poisar, Akurli, Kurar, Dindoshi & Aarey.
The facilities for the commuters on the elevated corridors include lifts, escalators, passenger information system, platform screen door and AFC gates. Over 93 per cent of civil work is over and system works are going on in full swing, said the MMRDA.
Following the trial runs, the prototype rake will be handed over to the Research Designs and Standards Organisation for the mandatory safety testing, said officials.
As he addressed at the event, the CM said he was surprised to see the traffic on the Western Express Highway despite curbs on vehicular movements. He said the lockdown is still in force and if people continue to venture out of their house in such large numbers, the government will have no option but to bring in stricter rules.
3,525 cr
Amount of rupees spent on 2A till April
