In six months of COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown between March 23, 2020 and September 22, 2020, the underground Colaba-Seepz Metro 3 project cost escalated by Rs 87 crore.
The information was given through in a RTI reply by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRC), which is the project implementing authority, on a query posed by Mumbai based activist, Nicholas Almeida through a letter on November 23 of this year. The copy of RTI reply is with the Free Press Journal.
The activist through RTI had asked MMRC how much cost escalation for Metro 3 project was reported amid the pandemic.
In its RTI reply, the MMRC has said the escalation in cost is due to extension in civil work. It further stated that it includes the reimbursement of labour expenditure during lockdown to civil contractors paid up to approximately Rs 20.91 crore. Besides, it also mentioned that further extension of time is under consideration.
The trial runs for the prototype rakes for this underground Metro 3 corridor (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) are being planned for early next year. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in October had approved MMRC's test run proposal. The trial runs will be held underground at Marol-Maroshi, which is outside the Aarey green belt. The 33.5-km-long line 3 will be the first underground Metro line in Mumbai.
