Mumbai Metro Line-11: Recently Sanctioned In The State Budget, How This Corridor Is Significant To The City’s Metro Connectivity

0

This corridor is expected to emerge as an important stretch as it runs through the Mumbai Port Trust area — which is planned to be redeveloped into a major commercial and entertainment hub.

The Mumbai Metro network is expected to witness substantial expansion in the coming years, with multiple projects ongoing simultaneously to enhance transit connectivity for the financial capital.

As per the Maharashtra Budget for 2023-2024, around 50 km of metro network has been proposed to be added in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

This includes Mumbai Metro Line-11 from Wadala to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) with a total length of 12.77 km and estimated cost of Rs 8,739 crore — which was sanctioned and announced by the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during his budget speech.

Other sanctioned networks included are — Metro Line-10 between Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk, Mira road with a total length of 9.2 km and estimated cost of Rs 4,476 crore, and Metro Line-12 between Kalyan and Taloja with a length 20.75 km and estimated cost of Rs 5,865 crore.

Significance With The City’s Proposed Developments

Mumbai Metro Line-11 is an extension of the Metro Line-4. This project was cleared by the Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at the end of 2018.

Once this proposed network is operational, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) will have linkages to both western and eastern suburbs through the metro connectivity.

The network will comprise both elevated and underground corridors. As per the current alignment, the stations will be coming up at Wadala RTO, Ganesh Nagar, BPT Hospital, Sewri, Hay Bunder, Coal Bunder, Darukhana, Wadi Bunder, Clock Tower, Carnac Tower and CSMT.

The line will have an interchange facility with the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Line-3.

Proposed Alignment Metro-11 network (Wikimedia Commons).

Further, this corridor is expected to emerge as a significant stretch as it runs through the Mumbai Port Trust area, which is planned to be redeveloped into a major commercial and entertainment hub.

The authorities decided on an underground construction of the metro corridor passing through this stretch, considering the land value of this region located in the heart of the city.

The masterplan for the Mumbai Port Trust Redevelopment is proposed for repurposing the port lands and integrating it with the rest of the city, providing public spaces and facilities to the citizens.

The area is envisioned with development of a new financial centre, government offices, hotels and commercial, as well as, residential properties.

These centres will be planned in the vicinity of the proposed Metro Line-11 and the existing suburban railway stations.

The eastern waterfront area is also proposed as a tourist and recreational zone, which will have facilities of ferry services and cruises for tourists among other features.

So far, meetings have taken place between government agencies, including the Mumbai Port Authority to take the project forward.

Metro-11 Corridor Execution

Earlier in January 2023, as per several reports, the execution work for Line-11 was being transferred from MMRDA to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC).

The order was issued by the Urban Development Department in this regard. The project was handed over to MMRC for their experience in underground metro rail development.

The MMRC is currently undertaking the execution of the 33.5 km underground Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Line-3, which is also making significant progress towards its completion. (Read more on this)

Additionally, as part of the Line-3 corridor, a new-age underground station at CSMT is nearly reaching completion, reports Mid-day. This will facilitate commuters from Colaba to SEEPZ in the western suburbs.

In its entirety, the Green Line corridor will be around 57.11 km in length, connecting Shivaji Chowk, Gaimukh, Kasarawadavali, Wadala and CSMT through 48 stations.

In the first year of operations, the line is likely to witness more than 12 lakh daily ridership, which would cross 18 lakh in 10 years.

At present, the Green Line includes Metro Line-4, which is 32.32 km long starting from Kasarvadavali, near Thane in the north, to Wadala, south Mumbai — providing an alternate public transport connectivity for Thane city with Mumbai.