Six months postponed the opening of Reach I Metro stations.
By the end of December 2019, MahaMetro had agreed to open all Reach I (Sitabuldi to Khapri stretch) stations. But officials now say it’s going to take another six months.
Figures from the Metro indicate that opening new stations has boosted ridership. Notwithstanding this, the stations have not been opened as planned. Reach I was inaugurated in March 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Five stations— Sitabuldi Interchange, Airport, Airport South, New Airport, and Khapri — were operational at that time. It took another six months for MahaMetro to open a new station in November— Jai Prakash Nagar. Five more stations need to be opened— Rahate Colony, Nagar Congress, Ajni Square, Nagar Chhatrapati and Nagar Ujjwal. Rahate Colony station would be launched this month, according to a Metro official. “The stations in Chhatrapati Nagar and Ajni Square will be ready in February, while the station in Congress Nagar will be ready for the first week of March or April. Ujjwal Nagar station is going to take a while because we recently got the ground. The landowner had been moving the case, “the official said.
According to the official, the opening of Congress Nagar station could be further delayed as Metro plans anyhow to open the Manish Nagar Railway Underbridge (RUB) in March. “As the contractor is the same for both works, at the station’s cost, he may concentrate on the RUB,” he said.Metro can complete the construction according to its schedule, but it will take longer to open the stations. Metro Rail Safety Commissioner (CMRS) will have to inspect each station and then give a green signal to open it to the public. Therefore, Metro officials expect all stations to be open by the middle of the year, except for Ujjwal Nagar. Commenting on the reasons for the delay, the official said the original contractor ILFS was forcing the Metro tore-tender the works. The official said the work on Reach III stations (Sitabuldi to Lokmanya Nagar stretch) was progressing at full speed. “This month’s station at Bansi Nagar will be ready. The station in Wasudeo Nagar is almost complete. The stations of Rachna T-point, LAD Square and Shankar Nagar will be ready by April or as soon as possible in May. The station at Dharampeth College will be the last one because it has a gallery of viewing, “he added. Commenting on the delay in Reach III’s opening, the official said this month it was expected.
