 "MMRDA, Transport for London ink MoU for under ground metro in Mumbai")
MMRDA plans to construct 33 km under ground metro (Line 3) of the total 146, 9 lines metro network in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) area.
MMRDA, which is a responsible for twon planning and a nodal agency for transport infrastructure development in the MMR, does not have experience of delivering an underground metro project.
As per today's MoU, TfL through its subsidiary London Underground Limited with an experience of executing and operting the underground network for 150 years, will share its experience.
MoU was signed in the presence of the Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
MMRDA expects the first metro corridor, Versova-Andheri-Ghatko-par to be commissioned next year while second metro corridor, Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd, is yet to take off though the contract was awarded in 2010. MMRDA has revived the construction of under ground metro between Colaba and Dahisar. The proposal was also supported by the empowered committee on Mumbai Makeover chaired by the state chief secretary JK Banthia.
State government official told Business Standard "The MoU will continue for a period of two years. MMRDA and Tfl can share information on construction methodologies for under ground metros in densely populated areas based on TfL's experience of building stations such as Tottenham Court Road and Victoria. Besides, benchmarking of capital and operating practices and costs in metros could help improve performance."