Mumbai Metro
The Mumbai Metro is a new Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) envisaged to ease the burden on the older commuter rail network existng in Mumbai, India. The project is made up of three main phases; each phase involves the construction and operation of a separate metro railroad connecting different parts of suburban and downtown Mumbai which are not adequately served by current public transportation systems in the metropolis.
Phase One
As of 2007, only the first phase of the system has been planned. It is being built by Mumbai Metro One, a joint venture (called a Special Purpose Vehicle) between Reliance Energy Limited (REL), Veolia Transportation and the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA). It involves the building, ownership, operation and transfer of an elevated railroad line connecting Versova, a suburb in northwestern Mumbai to Ghatkopar in the east.
Layout
The entire length of the elevated railroad is 11.4 km, stretching from Versova on the western sea board of Mumbai to Ghatkopar, in the eastern suburbs. 12 elevated stations, constructed along and over major thoroughfares in the route will connect some of the most densely populated commercial, industrial and residential sections of suburban Mumbai.
Major stops along the route are (expected to be) at Versova, D. N. Nagar, Azad Nagar, Andheri, Western Express Highway, Chakala, Airport, Marol Naka, Saki Naka, Subhash Nagar, Asphala Road, and Ghatkopar.
Benefits
It is claimed that the new system shall reduce the commuting time between Versova and Ghatkopar to 21 minutes.
Technology
This is the first rail system in India to employ balastless tracks.
Financial Model
This is the first public transport system being built with participation from both public entities such as the MMRDA and private corporations such as REL of India and Veolia of France. The financial model employed the first phase of the project is popularly called Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT); as the name suggest, the original partners in the project construct, take full ownership, operate (to generate revenues and profits) and the then transfer the entire system to a public entity, to be eventually run as a public system.
The entire cost of the system (at 2006 prices) is expected to be US $ 565 million, which includes a 5% stake picked up by Veolia and a US $ 145 million funding by the federal government.
The fares have been fixed at 3 slabs: Rs. 6 (at 2004 prices) for journeys upto 3 kms., Rs. 8 for journeys upto 8 kms. and Rs. 10 for journeys beyond that distance. There is also a provision for government regulated fare revisions every four years to offset inflationary pressures.