Mumbai: Metro Line 6 Has Reached 66 Per Cent Completion; MMRDA To Introduce A Double Decker Structure

The upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 6 (Pink Line) is 66 per cent completed, as shared by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials.

The 15.31-km-long line will soon be ready to provide an important east- west connectivity stretch for the suburban commuters.

Providing a break-up of the different components of the project, the officials stated that the civil work on total 13 stations of the network is 52 per cent completed, while the viaduct construction has progressed to 71 per cent.  

The major portion of the line will run through the Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road and connect the two national Highways, Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and the Western Express Highway (WEH) through an elevated corridor.   

Passing through Jogeshwari, WEH and Powai, this elevated network will be able to provide connections to both the east-west as well as north-south regions.

The development of this line will expand the metro network, linking to other metro corridors and stations of the suburban railways.

Developing An Integrated Network

The link will be integrated with four other metro routes. This includes the already operational lines of Mumbai Metro – Line 2A, running between Dahisar East and DN Nagar and Line 7, running between Dahisar East and Andheri East.

Additionally, the network will be interconnected to the in-progress, fully underground Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro Line 3, and Line 4 connecting Wadala to Kasardavali.

With the objective of reducing burden from the suburban railways and ease the commute for citizens, the line will be linked to Jogeshwari and Kanjurmarg railway stations.

This will enhance the commute in similar way to the Metro 1 linkage with Andheri and Ghatkopar railway stations and is expected to support the developing infrastructure for Greater Mumbai.

This connection will give greater accessibility to many governmental, commercial and geographically significant areas.

It will contribute as an alternative and cater to the heavy traffic of employees travelling in central and western suburban lines from both directions during peak hours.

It is further expected to slash the travel time between EEH-WEH by up to 45 minutes. The pink line will importantly connect several important business areas like Powai, Gogeshwari and Goregaon.

Additional Infrastructural Developments

The MMRDA will also construct a combined 2.58 km stretch of road flyover below the elevated Metro Line 6 corridor at a common pier in the road median to provide additional transport facilities.

This corridor will be a double decker structure, the lower deck becoming is an elevated road or a flyover, and the upper portion will be the Metro viaduct — an elevated civil structure that will carry the rail line.

The elevated road section of the structure will provide signal free connection between the WEH and EEH for vehicular movement.

The overall Metro Line 6 is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 6,700 crore, with a target to complete in next couple of years.

While the car sheds for the Line 6, along with other metro Line 5 and Line 9 have not yet fully finalised due to the ongoing allotment and land acquisition challenges.

However, in a recent development, the Shinde-Fadnavis Government has submitted a request to the centre, seeking a no objection certificate to allocate 15 hectares of land  free of cost for the construction of Metro Line 6 car shed at Kanjurmarg in North East Mumbai.

This fresh request was made by the state government after its previous decision to construct a car shed for Metro 3 at Aarey Colony.

The construction of metro depot for Line 6 will potentially ensure its completion.