Last safety check for Metro to begin April 18

“On being satisfied with the detailed tests and trials, the CMRS will authorise MMOPL to commence passenger operations on the line.

Thereafter, the MMOPL has to approach the Ministry of Railways for declaring the line open for public carriage,” said a spokesperson of the MMOPL, which is a consortium of Reliance Infrastructure, Veolia Transport and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). “We are fully geared up for the inspection and expect that it will be smooth and the line will be opened soon,” he added.

The RDSO, which works under the railway ministry, and approves standards and designs for both Indian Railways and Metro projects, had issued its speed certificate for the 11.4-km Metro corridor on April 2 after completing its scrutiny in February.

The Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro, an elevated corridor that will provide east-west rial connectivity in the city, was originally supposed to be completed by March 2012 as per the concession agreement though authorities had claimed to complete the construction much earlier.

The Metro, the construction of which had started in February 2008, was delayed due to issues such as difficulties in securing complete right of way, clearances from other agencies such as the railways, and unforeseen underground utility lines that several times necessitated a change in designs.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com