Mumbai: Alstom is set to give certification for the metro system to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday, following which MMRDA will move on to the last phase of safety trials to commission a part of Metro 2A and 7 lines in the city’s western suburbs.
This comes in the wake of tests required prior to commissioning the metro line. BEML has supplied the rolling stock for these two metro lines.
Once the rolling stock and signalling certificate is received, the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety will be invited to inspect and provide remarks on technical corrections if any. The commissioner will also give the final go ahead for passengers to use the public transport service, which will run from from DN Nagar in Andheri West to Andheri East via Dahisar. Metro 2A between Dahanukarwadi and Dahisar East as well as a portion of Metro 7 between Dahisar East to Aarey has been operational since April 1 this year.
MMRDA will, upon receipt of the final safety certificate, decide on the date from which people can use the transportation system. “We are working towards starting the two routes in late December or in January," said an MMRDA official.
The distance between D N Nagar to Dahisar East is 18.6 km whereas that from Dahisar East to Andheri East is 16.5 km.
Once these lines are open to the public, it is expected to drastically reduce vehicular traffic on the Western Express Highway between Dahisar and Andheri. Those residing in the Borivali-Dahisar area and working in Andheri East are likely to use the metro lines.This will come as a relief as congestion on the Western Express Highway continues despite multiple infrastructure upgrades.
