Cidco starts alignment work for Metro Line II, III

Navi Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has started the alignment work for line II and III of the Metro corridor to complete the connectivity from Belapur to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). 

Sources said, Cidco has also proposed that MIDC will share the cost of a short stretch of the metro (line III) of around 2km connecting Pendhar to Taloja MIDC, as the land belongs to the MIDC. 

The ongoing line I of the Metro, which covers a distance of 11.1km, will connect Belapur station to Pendhar. Line II will connect Pendhar to Taloja MIDC, while line III will start from Taloja MIDC and connect to Khandeshawar railway station via Kalamboli — a distance of 8.35km. 

The line III, in all likelihood, will be aligned with the Sion-Panvel highway from Kalamboli towards Khandeshwar. There will be another extension from Khandeshwar to the Panvel side of the airport. Sources said that authorities are contemplating whether the connectivity should be underground or over the station. 

The distance from Khandeshwar to Panvel will be known once the alignment is worked out. 

Cidco will fund the entire project except for the proposal to share the cost with MIDC for the short stretch. The project cost and other details for line II and III are yet to be worked out. The Metro line I project cost is pegged at Rs 2,850 crore. 

Cidco starts alignment work for Metro Line II, III

Navi Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has started the alignment work for line II and III of the Metro corridor to complete the connectivity from Belapur to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). 

Sources said, Cidco has also proposed that MIDC will share the cost of a short stretch of the metro (line III) of around 2km connecting Pendhar to Taloja MIDC, as the land belongs to the MIDC. 

The ongoing line I of the Metro, which covers a distance of 11.1km, will connect Belapur station to Pendhar. Line II will connect Pendhar to Taloja MIDC, while line III will start from Taloja MIDC and connect to Khandeshawar railway station via Kalamboli — a distance of 8.35km. 

The line III, in all likelihood, will be aligned with the Sion-Panvel highway from Kalamboli towards Khandeshwar. There will be another extension from Khandeshwar to the Panvel side of the airport. Sources said that authorities are contemplating whether the connectivity should be underground or over the station. 

The distance from Khandeshwar to Panvel will be known once the alignment is worked out. 

Cidco will fund the entire project except for the proposal to share the cost with MIDC for the short stretch. The project cost and other details for line II and III are yet to be worked out. The Metro line I project cost is pegged at Rs 2,850 crore. 

New Metro line to link Mumbai, Navi Mumbai airports

To provide direct connectivity between the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai and the proposed international airport in Navi Mumbai, the state government has decided to revise the Mumbai Metro master plan.

A new Metro line, which would provide direct connectivity between the two airports, would now be a part of the master plan, which already includes nine routes.

At the board meeting of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) chaired by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Saturday, it was decided to fast-track work for the new Metro line.

The Metro for the new route would run services from Andheri (East), where the Metro station for the Mumbai airport exists.

It will take the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd route on its way to the proposed new airport at Panvel in Navi Mumbai.

The Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro, which was opened to public earlier this year, already provides connectivity between the Andheri airport and Ghatkopar.

A Metro station at Mankhurd would be built as part of the proposed Metro-II line, which will connect Dahisar in western suburbs to Mankhurd.

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) had earlier proposed the Mankhurd-Panvel Metro link to boost connectivity between the proposed airport and Mumbai.

To provide seamless connectivity between travellers of the two airports, the state government has, however, decided to integrate the routes for a new line. Sources said that the MMRDA would build the new stretch.

Meanwhile, the MMRDA board took a formal decision Saturday to shift the proposed car shed for the Metro-II line from Charkop to Mankhurd.

While the bhoomipujan for this route was carried out in 2009, the project is yet to take off due to conditions imposed by the Union Environment Ministry for the car shed at Charkop, which falls in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ).

The board also resolved to extend the Metro-II line to Dahisar.

In light of opposition from locals against an elevated Metro service along the route, a decision for an underground Metro service was also taken.

Sources further said it was decided that all proposed Metro routes would be underground rail networks.

During the meeting, MMRDA officials informed board members that the Centre’s permission had been sought for technical approval to a Metro line connecting Mumbai’s Wadala to Thane.

In its annual performance report (2013-14) that was put up for approval to the board, the MMRDA said it had decided to junk its ambitious plan to set up an e-waste disposal plant following concerns over its viability.

Cidco to expand proposed Belapur-Khandeshwar metro service

Navi Mumbai, August 04:

Cidco plans to expand the proposed Belapur-Khandeshwar metro service up to Kalyan and Ulhasnagar to improve the connectivity between these suburbs and Navi Mumbai.

We are on track to complete phase I of the first 23.4-km CBD Belapur to Khandeshwar Metro project. We now plan to extend the line to Kalyan and Ulhasnagar to improve the connectivity between these three suburbs," City and

Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) Chairman Pramod Hindurao told reporters here today.

Cidco is developing the Metro project in three stages, comprising the 11.1-km Belapur-Pendhar section, the 8.35 km
Khandeshwar-Taloja section and the 2-km Taloja-Pendhar interconnection corridor.

The construction work on the first phase of the line is expected to be completed by 2016, Hindurao said.

"The work on the first phase will be completed by 2016. Out of the Rs 2,800 crore approved for the project,
works worth Rs 2,200 crore have already been completed. The remaining Rs 500 crore worth works will be soon completed," he said.

The Belapur-Pendhar corridor missed the original deadline of 2014 as Cidco decided to increase the width of the
coaches so as to align with the Mumbai Metro.

For this change in plan, Cidco gave time to its rolling stock vendor Ansaldo to rework the coaches, from the earlier planned width of 2.9 meters to 3.2 meters, which resulted in the delay.

According to a Cidco official, 73 per cent of the civil work of viaduct is completed, while nearly 55-60 per cent work on the 11 stations is still pending. Besides, 15-20 per cent of the civil work of the metro depot at Taloja is also completed.

This project is being executed by a consortium led by Ansaldo STS of Australia, Tata Projects and Zhuzhou Electric
Locomotive of China and CSR.

"We will ensure that all safety norms are met to enable safe journey to commuters. Also, the fares fixed will be
affordable," he added.

Cidco invites pvt participation in development of Navi Mumbai

City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has invited private players to participate in various projects it has undertaken to develop Navi Mumbai.

The Maharashtra government's special planning authority for the satellite township of Mumbai has embarked on Rs 20,000 crore worth of infrastructure projects around the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Cidco Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Bhatia has written letters to all stakeholders listing out the various initiatives it has taken on infrastructure and invited them to be a part of its large scale economic activity.Some of the major infrastructure projects proposed by Cidco include
Rs 14,500-crore international airport
Rs 2,100 crore metro rail project
Rs 1,412 crore Nerul-Belapur- Uran railway project
Rs 1,450 crore Balganga Dam to ensure drinking water to the city, and several other works like coastal road and bridges.

The first phase of the long-pending airport is expected to commence operations from December 2018, Bhatia said in the letter.

The letter further said the government is reactivating the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), while JNPT is doubling its handling capacity to handle large ships and Cidco itself is developing a 600 sqmt township for the airport.

Realty players like Prajapati Developers and Moraj Developers have welcomed the initiatives of Cidco and assured to support the growth story of the city.

"Infrastructure development is key to any urban development and I am sure the various projects initiated by CIDCO will go a long way in Navi Mumbai's rapid progress. We are committed to contribute to shaping up the city as a truly world class city," Prajapati Developers Managing Director Rajesh Prajapati said.

Cidco has chalked out a plan to construct 6,000 affordable houses for the economically weaker sections, low income and middle income groups. Besides, it is also improving sports infrastructure by developing large open spaces into cricket and football grounds.

The corporation has also initiated steps to resettle the project affected people with increased compensation and land allotment of developed plots.

"This is bound to ensure smooth land acquisition and a trouble-free development," Moraj Developers Managing Director Mohan Gurnani said.

In the letter to the developers, Bhatia further said Cidco is stepping up its vigilance to ensure hassle-free transactions with its clientele, has hired third party project management and monitoring for all projects costing more than Rs 5 lakh and taken up a Rs 36 crore nature park project.

The project spread across 2,000 hectare will have walking trails, regeneration of forests, water conservation projects, viewing galleries, adventure camps and camping facilities, refurbishing of existing waterfalls and boulders' park.

Navi Mumbai Metro on track with Central Railway approval for work

NAVI MUMBAI: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has finally got clearance from the Central Railway (CR) for connecting Kharghar and Pendhar Metro stations.

"There are 11 stations between CBD Belapur and Pendhar, spanning a distance of 11.1 km. However, the problem was connecting Kharghar, the 9th station, with Pendhar, the 11th station. Near the 10th station at Taloja-Panchanand, the Metro route would have to pass over the NH 4 and Diva-Panvel rail tracks, which is on railway property. A bridge had to be built for this. So, the approval was necessary," said a Cidco official.

Now, with this approval, which is expected to be officially communicated soon, Cidco's two-year wait comes to an end.

Sanjay Bhatia, Cidco MD, recently had a meeting with railway officials and the minor glitches were sorted out.

The chief engineer, railways, and divisional railway manager of Central Railway had a meeting last week to expedite the talks.

Sources said that 18 officers of various railway departments need to give their nod for construction of the bridge between the two stations.

The project is aimed at meeting the transportation needs of an estimated future population of around 10 lakh by 2020 in the Metro corridor.

It will also enable greater, smoother and easier access to the industrial hub of Taloja.

The foundation stone for the Metro was laid in May 2011. Work started in June 2011. The project was scheduled to be

completed

in December 2014, but the change in the coach size to align it with the Mumbai Metro for seamless integration at a future date led to an extension of the deadline to March 2015.

Thereafter, Cidco sought a change in technology in the signaling system. The system, known as CBTC, provides for prevention of collision and also enables the running of Metro every 90 seconds as and when required.

This change in technology, along with the pending approval from the railways, has led to a new deadline of December 2016