The long wait for the Navi Mumbai Metro is finally drawing to a close as the project nears its final stages of completion. The upcoming 11.1 km stretch of the Navi Mumbai Metro, which will have 11 stoppages, is in its last stages of CMRS Approval. This story came to the news after the Commissioner of metro railway safety ended the last test for the entire Navi Mumbai Metro Line 1 on 2nd May. Discover all you need to know about this project.
Project Status
CIDCO, the governing body of the Navi Mumbai Metro project, is presently working on obtaining the Commission of Railway Safety (CMRS) certification for the Belapur-Kharghar segment. The Kharghar-Pendhar stretch already has the CMRS certification. The project’s success and commercial operation will only be possible after obtaining certification. Upon its completion, the Belapur-Kharghar segment’s certification will bring the project closer to its completion, providing significant relief to the developing suburbs of Mumbai.
Inauguration Timeline
The exact date of the Navi Mumbai Metro’s inauguration is yet to be announced by the officials. Nevertheless, the project is anticipated to commence operations soon.
Line Extension
The Navi Mumbai Line 1 project aims to provide efficient transportation for the growing population in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It is a vital infrastructure development for the fast-developing suburbs, which face traffic congestion and long travel times. The project has plans for three more metro corridors in the future, but these will only start after Line 1 becomes operational. The focus is on successfully completing the first phase before moving on to the next one.
Infrastructure
CIDCO intends to operate the Navi Mumbai Line 1 every 15 minutes during peak hours, with a maintenance depot in Taloja and two traction substations in Panchanand and Kharghar forming part of its infrastructure. The project’s success is likely to motivate authorities to pursue the construction of three more metro lines.
Metro Line 1 Fare
The fare for Metro Line 1 starts at ₹10, which according to CIDCO, is lower than the fare of air-conditioned buses of NMMT for the same distance. The fare structure is designed in a way that commuters will have to pay ₹10 for a distance of up to 2 km, ₹15 for 2-4 km, and an additional ₹5 for every 2 km thereafter. The maximum fare of ₹40 is applicable for distances beyond 10 km.