Mumbai Metro Line 6 almost ready, but where are the trains?

Pillars for Mumbai Metro Line 6, which is entirely elevated, in Powai

Civil works related to the 15.31-km Mumbai Metro Pink Line 6, which links Swami Samarth Nagar in Lokhandwala and Vikhroli, is expected to be ready by October 2024, but trains and a planned car shed at Kanjurmarg are nowhere to be seen. The public commissioning of the line has been pushed to 2026 as there have been delays in the procurement of rolling stock due to technical issues.

Metro Line 6's alignment mostly falls on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road's median. Pic/Sameer Markande

The car shed has been delayed as more land is required for it. With the delay related to rolling stock and the car shed, the commissioning of the Pink Line may not happen this year or next year as planned earlier but will be pushed ahead to 2026.

What has gone wrong?
Trains: A comprehensive tender for procurement of critical components, including rolling stock, had been cancelled in October 2023 due to non-compliance with international procurement standards, failure to meet the norms of the commissioner of Metro railway safety and other mandatory guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission, leading to its re-tendering and subsequent delay. The critical components include design, manufacture, supply, installation, integration, testing and commissioning of rolling stock, communication-based signalling and train control, telecommunication equipment, platform screen doors systems and depot machinery. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will procure 108 standard-gauge cars (18 rakes with six coaches each) for the Pink Line.

The Andheri-Vikhroli line is being built with funding from the National Development Bank

How much time: The actual delivery time of trains will be anytime between six and nine months once the tenders are finalised.

Car shed: Work on the car shed is yet to begin as the existing 15-hectare plot is proving to be insufficient. The MMRDA is seeking seven additional hectares. The MMRDA has floated tenders for work on the available land with Sam India Builtwell being declared the lowest bidder. The depot will have 18 stabling lines, three inspection bays, four workshop bays, an 811-m-long test track, an operations control centre, administrative buildings and staff quarters.

How much time: Work on this is expected to begin soon and take 30 months to complete. The delay in these two components has delayed the entire project with the public commissioning of the line has now been pushed to 2026. The pending civil works include the crucial crossing over both railway lines. "The civil works for the line is 75 per cent complete, and the work order for the depot civil works has been issued. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026," an official said.

The site of the car shed at Kanjurmarg in 2021. File Pic/Ashish Raje

Salient features of Mumbai Metro Pink Line 6

>> The Pink Line 6 has 13 stations. The alignment mostly falls on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road's median.
>> The fully elevated line connects the Western and Eastern Express Highways.
>> It has interchanges with Line 2A at Adarsh Nagar, Line 7 at JVLR station, Line 3 at Aarey Depot station and Line 4 at Gandhi Nagar.
>> It is constructed at a cost of R6,716 cr, with funding from National Development Bank.
>> Like other Metro lines, it has an Integrated ticketing system, lifts, escalators, staircase facilities in addition to improved footpaths with ramps for the differently abled and senior citizens.

Rs 6,716 cr
Cost of Pink Line 6

13
No of stations on Line 6