Times of India: Mumbai: Wednesday,
25 September 2024.
A total of Rs 30,089 crore
has been spent on the construction of the underground Metro 3 between 2019 and
Aug 31, 2014, said Yogendra Saxena, director (finance), Mumbai Metro Rail
Corporation Ltd (MMRCL), in a reply provided under the Ri-ght to Information
(RTI) Act.
In response to queries filed under the RTI Act by activist-advocate Godfrey Pimenta, Saxena said the cost escalation so far is Rs 2,857 crore, which has been paid towards civil systems, track, and rolling stock.
The 33.5km Metro 3 with 27 stations was to be commissioned in 2019, and was estimated to cost Rs 21,000 crore. In July this year, it was revealed that the total cost had soared to Rs 37,276 crore.
To queries filed under the RTI Act by activist Zoru Bhathena, MMRCL, in two separate responses, said the total track km for Phase I (Aarey Colony to BKC in both directions) is 25.39 km and for Phase II (Dharavi to Cuffe Parade in both directions) is 41.8 km. In the second response issued on Sept 20, MMRCL said the total track km energised is nearly 21.79 km. Bhathena said as per MMRCL's social media posts, they have been testing the tracks since 2022. Now their RTI reply shows there's a gap of 3.6 km in electrification. "Phase I is approximately one-third of the entire route and this too does not seem to be complete. If electrification of the Up and Down section is not complete, it is likely the trains will go up and down on a single track for part of the route. Why should MMRCL create this facade that Phase I is complete?" asked Bhathena.
MMRCL did not respond to TOI's queries on the cost escalation and whether the electrification of tracks on Phase I was complete.
In response to queries filed under the RTI Act by activist-advocate Godfrey Pimenta, Saxena said the cost escalation so far is Rs 2,857 crore, which has been paid towards civil systems, track, and rolling stock.
The 33.5km Metro 3 with 27 stations was to be commissioned in 2019, and was estimated to cost Rs 21,000 crore. In July this year, it was revealed that the total cost had soared to Rs 37,276 crore.
To queries filed under the RTI Act by activist Zoru Bhathena, MMRCL, in two separate responses, said the total track km for Phase I (Aarey Colony to BKC in both directions) is 25.39 km and for Phase II (Dharavi to Cuffe Parade in both directions) is 41.8 km. In the second response issued on Sept 20, MMRCL said the total track km energised is nearly 21.79 km. Bhathena said as per MMRCL's social media posts, they have been testing the tracks since 2022. Now their RTI reply shows there's a gap of 3.6 km in electrification. "Phase I is approximately one-third of the entire route and this too does not seem to be complete. If electrification of the Up and Down section is not complete, it is likely the trains will go up and down on a single track for part of the route. Why should MMRCL create this facade that Phase I is complete?" asked Bhathena.
MMRCL did not respond to TOI's queries on the cost escalation and whether the electrification of tracks on Phase I was complete.
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