Mumbai on the move

Mumbai Metro Rail Project

While its first corridor – Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar – was supposed to be ready by the mid of this year, it doesn’t seem to be happening. When ready, it will connect Eastern and Western suburbs with Western and Central Railway and will reduce the travel time by more than 50 minutes. Andheri and Ghatkopar will be the interchanges in this hi-profile travel solution that has been promised to the people of Mumbai. Though it is claimed that over 85% of the 11.4km stretch is complete, it will be quite some time for the project to be entirely ready and for the enforcement authorities to work out the proper flow of traffic from metro to railways and from the elevated tracks to the streets below. But hopefully, things should be sorted out by the yearend, or early next year for this travel option with never before heard of facilities (fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology and many impressive features like advanced passenger driver communication, automated ticketing, CCTV cameras, etc.) in Mumbai’s travelling services. Right now, the cable-stayed bridge is coming up over the Jog flyover at Andheri and the Railways have allotted it all the required permissions. The overhead electrification system on the viaduct is 50% complete and three out of the 16 trains have entered the city.

Though the bids have been invited for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd and Colaba-Bandra corridors and their Detailed Progress Reports are claimed to be in place, it will still take a few years for these to become a reality. Right now the debate is on whether these corridors should be over the ground or under the ground. While the general mood seems to be against the above ground option, the underground option will prove to be thrice as expensive as the above surface option. Yet, this is a project to look out for. If all the loose ends are tied and it is implemented in true spirit, Mumbai’s travelling populace can heave a sigh of relief few years from now.

Mumbai Monorail Project

This, again state-of-the-art travel option just like Mumbai Metro, has two sections. While the Jacob Circle (Sant Gagde Maharaj Chowk)-Wadala section will consist of 11.28km, the Wadala-Chembur section will be 8.26km long. Travelling at a speed of 80kmph, the monorail is expected to reduce the travel time anywhere between 19 to 25 minutes. Each of the 15 trains will have only four cars and a maximum carrying capacity of 568 commuters. Four trains (two blue and two green) are already in the city. They will be integrated with Central Railway, Western Railway and Harbour line at Mahalakshmi, Curry Road, Wadala and GTB Nagar stations. Seven stations of the first phase are nearing completion. The construction up to the concourse levels of all stations has been completed and that of the platform levels is in progress.

The highlight of these trains, and even that of the Metro trains apart from the state-of-the-art facilities, is their brake system. When brakes are applied in these trains, they pass the electric power back to the system so that the same can be used by other trains running on the system, thus saving power.

Foot Over Bridges will be constructed to connect Mono Rail stations with the suburban railway stations. They will include 250m long and 4m wide FOBs linking Chembur Mono Rail station with Chembur East suburban railway station, Wadala Mono Rail station with Wadala railway station (Harbour line), Curry Road Mono Rail station with Curry Road Railway station (Central line), and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk Mono Rail station with Mahalaxmi railway station (Western line).

Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan corridor is a part of the plan too. Mulund-Borivli, Virar Railway Station, Chikhaldongri Rental Housing Scheme; Lokhandwala-Seepz-Kanjurmarg; Thane/Naupada-Mira Bhayandar-Dahisar; Kalyan-Ulhasnagar-Dombivli; Chembur-Ghatkopar-Koparkhairne; and Mahape-Shil Phata –Kalyan are the future corridors under the scheme. In various phases, these are expected to be completed by 2031. The first phase of Monorail should have been completed by now.

Eastern Freeway

The project will provide a 22km high speed corridor from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum to Eastern Express Highway, thus connecting the new CST Railway Terminus directly with the Highway. It will enable the movement of goods to and from the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) as well. The Freeway (12km long in the first phase) will begin from the museum and will wind through Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Wadi Bundar and Mumbai Port Trust before meeting the Eastern Express Highway through AnikPanjrapole Link Road (APLR). This will mean that the existing roads will be improved, a 9.29km long four-lane elevated corridor will be provided and the places where the links are missing, will be constructed.

 

The Freeway, being constructed under Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP), will have four sections. While Section I will be from SV Patel Road junction on P D D’Mello Road to Orange Gate and will have down ramps, Section II, an elevated corridor, will be from Orange Gate to Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) Pipeline Gate. Likewise, Section III will be from MbPT Pipeline Gate to WTT Road. This too will be an elevated corridor that will go via the salt pan (which is a missing link) and the Customs area. The elevated corridor of Section IV will go through WTT Road near the customs Area right till the beginning of APLR.

“The Eastern Freeway will be a big relief for the commuters on the Eastern sector,” says Vivek Phansalkar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mumbai. “It will be a free way from Chembur to Carnac Bunder on the D’Mello Road. Once it is in place, people travelling through South Mumbai, especially on the side of VT Station and Gateway of India, will be able to travel real fast. We expect them to reach V T station from Chembur in 25 minutes flat.”

Phansalkar agrees that the notifications for traffic diversions and blocking of roads for such projects, at times inconveniences the public. “People do suffer in the short term but it is all in the interest of the project being completed in time and in the long interest to give relief to the travelling citizens of Mumbai.”

The highlight of the Freeway is construction of a twin tunnel just below the mountains of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). This will be Mumbai’s first twin tunnel. Each will be half kilometre long, 17m wide and 10m high, and each tunnel will have four carriageways. The four-lane left hand side tunnel might be commissioned some time this month as work on 350 metres of the total 500 metres stretch is reported to be completed.

Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project

Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) has been formed by MMRDA to supplement MUTP as travel demands of a growing population have been posing serious challenges to planning authorities. MUIP will focus on road network improvements and efficient traffic dispersal system.

Sahar Elevated Road

Connecting Western Express Highway and the International Airport, this 2km stretch is being constructed under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. This top priority project is a little over 80% complete. Just like the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road too will be linking east and west on completion. The former will be widened soon.