Test drive at Wadala

Mumbaiites have moved a step closer to the dream ride in the country's first monorail between Wadala and Chembur, as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) successfully conducted the trial run on the 8.07-km stretch this week.

Did you know?u00a0The Rs 2,700-crore Jacob Circle-Wadala-Chembur monorail project is divided into two phases - Phase I: Wadala-Chembur and Phase II: Jacobu00a0Circle-Wadalau00a0

Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, said, "The trial run was smooth without any problem. This takes us one step closer towards the completion ofu00a0the project."

According to sources, the trial, was conducted around November 15-17. "The trial run was carried out to check the smoothness and the level of the beam on which the monorail will pass," the source said, on condition of anonymity.

80 km per hour
Between Wadala-Bhakti Park and Mysore Colony, the monorail travelled at 80 km per hour, which is its maximum speed. The planning authority will test the monorail at this speed on the remaining stretch for technical clarity.

"The work of the traction substations, which will provide electricity for the monorail operations, is complete, while work on the auxiliary substation is in progress. We are confident that by February 2013, the tracks will be ready for safety certification. By mid-2013 the line will be completely operational," the source said, adding that the signalling and electrification work on the corridor is also in progress and stations on the entire corridor will be ready in next three-four months.

In February this year, the MMRDA conducted a two-kilometre test between Wadala Depot and Bhakti Park.

Phase I will have seven stations of the nine-km monorail corridor, which includes Chembur, VN Purav Marg, Fertiliser Colony, Bharat Petroleum, Mysore Colony, Bhakti Park and Wadala Depot.u00a0

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