MUMBAI, INDIA (Metro Rail News): On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray flagged off trial runs for the city’s two new metro train lines, Metro 2A and 7, on the Charkop-Dahisar-Aarey route.
The metro is expected to be fully operational and available to the general public around four months after the trial run i.e. the initial phases of Metro-2A (Dahisar-Aarey) and Metro-7 (Dahanukarwadi-Aarey) starting in October 2021
When the metros open to the general public, a daily average of 9 lakh passengers would be able to travel. Commuters from Adheri to Dahisar are expected to benefit from this metro service since it will make travel easier and local trains will no longer be the main mode of public transportation. The construction of these metro lines is also expected to reduce congestion on western freeways and in western native.
Each metro practice might have six coaches, one of whom would be assigned to the females. Aside from the one ladies’ coach, four seats in each compartment may be dedicated for women. The metro fare would range from Rs 10 for short distances and Rs 80 for long distances. The metro may be free of air pollution.
According to environmentalists, this is a good example of how two or more metro lines may cohabit in a single carshed. The green brigade is challenging the state of the Kanjurmarg composite carshed, which is intended for at least three metro rail lines – Metros 3, 4, and 6.
Metros 2A and 7 will temporarily share a carshed at Charkop for the time being. The Bombay High Court is considering a dispute about land title in Kanjurmarg. According to the Centre, the Kanjurmarg site belonged to its salt department. According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the 102 acres of land at the site are needed to build the carshed for metro lines 3, 4, and 6, as well as an interchange station for the projected line 14 with line 6.
“If there is a delay in acquiring land for the carshed in Kanjurmarg, it would have an impact on the metro train projects,” said environmental activist Zoru Bhathena.
The MMRDA is battling to acquire around 136 hectares of property for several metro train tracks interconnecting the city, including Dahisar (26 hectares), Mankhurd (30 hectares), Kanjurmarg (40 hectares), and Thane (40 hectares). The only easily accessible land piece is at Charkop (25 hectares), where the metro rail coaches of Metro 7 on Andheri (E)-Dahisar (E) and Metro 2A on Dahisar (W)-DN Nagar would first be stabled.
The Maharashtra government issued a notification in March to change the reservation for the metro car depot and casting yard in the Development Plan (DP) 2034. “The property should be granted in the wider public interest, as projects are being delayed,” says Stalin D, director of the NGO Vanshakti.
According to MMRDA sources, even in Charkop, there is a limit of 25-27 rakes. More property in Dahisar East, which has been earmarked for the Metro 7 line, will be required.
Uddhav Thackeray is live from Akurli Metro Station to flag off the path run of Metro ‘2A’ and ‘Metro-07’ https://www.pscp.tv/w/1YqGoyQnVqlxv click to watch live
