The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has given its nod to a Metro line on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.
The original plan in the 1970s was for a railway line,and even last year the Central Railways had stressed on a rail link at a meeting with the state government and stakeholders such as the MMRDA,CIDCO and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. The MMRDA,however,wanted a Metro link. The development authority also managed to gain control as the nodal agency responsible for executing the project which was under the purview of MSRDC before.
“We are going ahead with Metro on MTHL and will connect it with the Navi Mumbai airport,” said Additional Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas. A senior CR official pointed out that connecting Mumbai with the hinterland is important as it would improve the suburban network. At present,a long detour has to be taken through Navi Mumbai to reach Uran.
“The railways feel that the state government does not see the stress on rail infrastructure that keeps growing without proper planning of infrastructure. The state feels through Metro it can reduce the dependency over the railways,” said a senior railway official. The MMRDA is looking for the “crucial” connectivity and taking the Metro over MTHL would allow connecting the line to the proposed Navi Mumbai Metro line.
CIDCO officials associated with the Metro project in Navi Mumbai said the agency is open to both options. “If a rail link is constructed on MTHL then there is an existing rail line. If a Metro link comes on MTHL then it can be connected with Navi Mumbai Metro on the proposed Ranjanpada-Sewood-Kharkopar corridor. This corridor can be further connected with the other corridors including the airport,” said a CIDCO official.
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