Infrastructure
The Mumbai Metro. (via Getty Images)
Mumbai will soon get its third metro depot at Mandale to serve the Metro Line-2B.
The two other operational metro depots are at Charkop and Andheri. At present, the Charkop depot maintains rakes of Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and 7 (Dahisar East-Andheri East). The Andheri Depot maintains the rakes of Metro Line-1 (Versova-Ghatkopar).
Mandale depot is right now under construction and once developed, it will be the largest Metro depot in Mumbai, with a double-decker structure.
Background
Spread over 32 hectare of land, the under-construction Mandale depot will have two levels — ground plus first floor that can accommodate 72 rakes.
Stabling lines are running lines, where empty trains are stabled on arrival awaiting their turn, to be shunted away to the 'washing lines' and from there to the carriage and wagon examination pit lines.
The project with an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore started in 2020 and a major part of civil work is completed.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which is implementing the project, plans to start partial operations of the Mumbai Metro Line-2B from Mandale Depot and Chembur in 2024.