Officials say only 93 per cent work between Aarey and BKC complete, trials and safety certifications will cause further delay
The nine trains required for the commissioning of Phase 1 are ready. File pic
The entire 33.5 km network of Mumbai’s first underground Metro Aqua Line 3 is expected to be commissioned within 2024. While substantial work on Phase 1 between Aarey and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will be completed in December, it will be subject to extensive trials and testing; and the stretch is likely to be opened for public use only in early 2024. Work on Phase 2 between BKC and Colaba has also been expedited and should open within 2024, commissioning the entire 33.5-km-long stretch.
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Additional trains will be acquired at regular intervals. File pic
The nine trains required for the commissioning of Phase 1 are in place. Additional train sets will be received at regular intervals. Speaking about details of both phases, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) officials said, “Overall 86 per cent work of the Aqua Line (both phases included) is complete. The overall work from Aarey to BKC-Phase 1 is about 93 per cent complete, of which about 98-99 per cent of civil work is done and work is currently underway to set up the systems, including ventilation, lifts, escalators, entry/exits… all of which is about 70 per cent done.”
According to a senior official, once the works are complete by December 2024, full train trials will commence, followed by trials by RDSO—the research and development arm of Indian Railways. “After that, there will be integrated trials and finally certification trials by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety. Once the safety certifications are in, we can publicly commission Phase 1,” the official said.
“Work on Phase 2 of the project between BKC and Colaba is also 80 per cent complete. Many stations along the route in Girgaum, Kalbadevi, Prabhadevi and Dadar are in extremely crowded areas and we had to undertake innovative digging and building alternatives like the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) technology, where excavation is done with supports which is time-consuming. But work is now nearing completion and we will be able to open Phase 2 within 2024,” he added.
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