MMRDA plans to integrate all Mumbai Metros lines for smooth commute

By Realty Quarter Bureau

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is planning to ease the commuting experience by Metro for Mumbaikars by integrating the all the lines in the future. An official said that the Andheri-Ghatkopar metro line would be linked with five other metro lines through various means like foot overbridges (FOBs), skywalks, ramps and escalators.

The main aim behind integrating the metro lines is that passengers who want to travel from one junction to another do not have to get on to the road to change metro routes. A senior official said that the state body is already working towards an integrated transport system wherein transport services would be inter-connected.

The current operational Mumbai Metro line 1 would be linked to other metro routes like Metro 7 (Andheri east to Dahisar east), underground Metro line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ), Metro line 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) and Metro line 2 (Dahisar to Mandale).

“Line 7 would be connected at WEH (Western Express Highway) and Line 2 would join at DN Nagar. Depending on the distance between two stations, skywalks would be built, so that commuters can swiftly switch to another line,” said an MMRDA official, working on the integration project.

The Metro 4, a 32-km-long elevated corridor, will join the line 1 at Amrut Nagar in Ghatkopar. “The distance between Metro line 1 and line 4 is more, due to which a skywalk of more than 600 metres would be constructed,’’ added an official. The officials said that more than 40 per cent civil work of Metro line 2 and 7 has been completed. Meanwhile, the MMRDA is planning to step the pace of work as they are running against the deadline for the project which needs to be completed by 2019.

Meanwhile, officials have kick started with a survey for Metro 4. “Once the survey is complete, the contractor would be finalised for the same and work would start immediately,” said an official.