Navi Mumbai Metro route is waiting to hear from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Office (CMO) for its inauguration. Despite the CIDCO's (City and Industrial Development Corporation) claims that they would soon begin Navi Mumbai's first Metro line, the project is still not operational because the planning authority is awaiting the confirmation for the last two and a half months.
The cost of Metro Line 1's construction, which was INR 2500 crore, is rising with each day of delay. A senior CIDCO official said that everything at their end is ready to commence the metro; the ground staff, housekeeping, technicians, and even security guards have been already recruited and they are being paid too. Since the project's inauguration has been delayed, the company is bearing losses.
"We've been prepared since the end of June," said a senior CIDCO official who declined to be identified. All of the operational preparations have been made, and the metro can run with only a 12-hour notice. The CMO has been told of our readiness; they now need to make a decision regarding the inauguration, he added.
Well not only Metro, but also the second phase of the Belapur-Uran railway line between Kharkopar and Uran, and the Digha railway station on the trans-harbour's Vashi-Thane line are ready and waiting to be inaugurated.
"As politicians want it to be inaugurated by the top leadership, all three projects are stagnant," a senior IAS officer said. The officer continued that all three initiatives would provide lakhs of commuters with much-needed relief, but because VVIPs are busy, the projects also go underutilised.
The importance of Navi Mumbai Metro was acknowledged by the voices of the general public. "Thousands of people go daily from Taloja to the Kharghar train station. Due to traffic, it often takes more than 30 and even 45 minutes. Despite being ready, we cannot utilize the Metro. Don't know when VIPs would have time for residents," said Harish Keni, a former Taloja corporator and member of the Shetkari Kamgar Paksh.
The then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan performed the bhoomi pujan for the Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1 on May 1, 2011. The Navi Mumbai urban planning organization, CIDCO, sought to finish the first line in three years. The 11.10-kilometer route with 11 stations, however, was delayed due to legal and technical problems. The first phase of the Navi Mumbai Metro will run between Pendhar to CBD Belapur. It is anticipated that it will enhance connectivity in Navi Mumbai and grow the real estate industry.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis promised that the Metro would start operating as soon as it received the CMRS certification during a visit to the site of the Navi Mumbai airport early in June 2023. On June 21, CIDCO declared that it was granted all required certificates and clearances.
However, CMO representatives declined to comment on the situation.
First, the contract for constructing Metro stations was assigned to the San Jose Constructora-Mahavir Roads-Supreme Infra JV. However, CIDCO cancelled the contract. To speed up the construction work, in February 2021, Maharashtra Metro Railway Corporation (MahaMetro) was roped in. Five months later, it was given a contract for operations and maintenance of Line 1 for the next 10 years; at a cost of INR 885 crore plus taxes.
In October 2021, CIDCO acquired the CMRS (Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety) certificate for the 5.4 km route between Pendhar and Central Park, which sped up the construction. However, CIDCO went ahead and finished building all 11 stations before applying for CMRS certification.
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