MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) to submit revised cost of INR 10,000 Crores for Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Line) to the State cabinet for approval. The cost of Line-3 of Mumbai Metro has escalated by over INR 10,000 Crores to INR 33,406 Crores in 2021 from its original estimate of INR 23,136 Crores in 2016.
The cost escalation for the 33.5 km long underground metro corridor is mainly attributed to construction of the tunnel, changes in station locations and car depot. It was earlier estimated at INR 10,708 Crores, but the now the cost is escalated to INR 18,711 Crores. The land acquisition cost has also increased drastically for this corridor to INR 1,483 Crores which was earlier fixed at INR 590 Crores. The other reason includes the difference between Mumbai and Delhi’s terrain as the original project cost was based on the terrain of the Delhi metro. It was later found that Mumbai has a different terrain.
According to a senior officer, “The CM directed MMRC to submit its revised proposal for the 33.5-km Cuffe Parade-SEEPZ Metro III project at the meeting. The cost has surged to INR 33,406 Crores from INR 23,136 Crores. After the cabinet’s approval, the MMRC can get a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which has not released funds as it is waiting for a nod from the cabinet for almost a year.”
Chief Minister also reviewed the status of the Kanjurmarg land dispute where the State Government reserved 102 acres of land for the construction of a Metro car shed for Mumbai Metro. However, in December last year, the Bombay High Court stayed the decision to hand over the Kanjurmarg land for the car shed, after the Central Government claimed ownership of the land. He also reviewed the Pahadi Goregaon site for the Metro Line-3 car shed. “The CM asked MMRC to look into the Pahadi Goregaon site and submit a report on its viability,” the officer said.
Pathetic….. The Aarey land has been cleaned and the pile work had already started for the car shed. There is no point of environmental damage considering all this has happened.. And the team of experts appointed by the govt also have told to keep the depot at aarey… so why don’t the state govt just go ahead with constructing the depot at the aarey site… Why are they dragging the feet…