10 June,2014 06:57 AM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
It was a moment of pride and joy for Mumbaikars to see the much-awaited 11.04-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro corridor up and running
It was a moment of pride and joy for Mumbaikars to see the much-awaited 11.04-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro corridor up and running.
This corridor has cut short the 60-90 minute journey time between the two destinations to 20 minutes and it also provides a safe and hassle free ride. With the VAG corridor making waves, Mumbaikars cannot wait for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line two and the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro line three, to get started.
It's high time the government takes a final call on the Metro line two, which has been on hold for the last four years as the Ministry of Environment and Forest is yet to grant permission for the construction of a depot at Charkop, which falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone.
The government should speed-up decision making on the corridor and consider the proposal to make it underground. Metro line two will be a blessing for commuters travelling between Charkop and Mankhurd and will be advantageous to those heading towards Navi Mumbai. The corridor is also expected to lighten the burden of the Harbour line between Andheri and Mankhurd.
Burden reduction
The Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro line three will be a significant achievement, as it will reduce the burden on the Western railways.
Once this line is operational, railway passengers travelling between Andheri and Churchgate might opt to take this route. Commuters will be assured a world-class travel experience, as this will be the first underground metro corridor in the state.
The MMRDA is currently in the process of awarding the tenders for the construction of this line. It is also considering financial aid from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the construction.
The other two phases of the Metro should now be completed without further delay as they will bring relief to commuters and take the load off other public transportation systems as well.