Mumbai: First driverless metro coach unveiled by Uddhav Thackeray

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray alongwith other ministers and officials at the inauguration of the first driverless metro coach at the Charkop metro depot. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday unveiled the first driverless metro coach intended for the Dahisar-D N Nagar metro line 2 A and Dahisar-Andheri East metro line 7 at the Charkop metro depot. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh , Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar and Mayor Kishori Pednekar were present along with other dignitaries on the occasion.

Both Dahisar-D N Nagar metro line 2 A and Dahisar-Andheri East metro line 7 will have driverless trains

‘Affordable public transport'
The CM and ministers were shown a small video film about the metro work that was undertaken. Thackeray said, "It's a very proud moment today to unveil the metro train that Mumbaikars will be able to use for their daily commute. The metro will be an affordable public transport and by May-June metro line 2A and 7 will be thrown open to the public." The CM also said that the metro is an attraction of Mumbai and the next three-four years are important for the city as many metro corridors will be thrown open to the public.

"This new metro driverless technology is very interesting. The good thing about this metro is that it also has a place for passengers to carry bicycles. I was criticised by some people saying I was giving a stay on various works but that is not true, as you can see the work on a lot of public infrastructure is nearing completion. I won't say that the earlier government did not do any work during their tenure. They also did the work but this government is doing work at a greater pace," added Thackeray. He also said that the first phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway between Nagpur and Shirdi will be opened by May.

‘Team worked day and night'
Metropolitan Commissioner R A Rajeev said, "It's a historic day for everyone. Against all odds during the lockdown, our team worked day and night to complete the work on both metro corridors.." According to MMRDA officials, the trial run on metro 2A and metro line 7 is expected to begin in March this year. The completion work on the metro corridor is going on in full swing on the arterial New Link Road and the Western Express Highway between Andheri and Dahisar. On majority of the stretch on both these corridors, girders have been launched over piers and the station work is also progressing.