Metro 6 pillars on JVLR undergoing demolition

Metro 6 construction in Mumbai is halted as pillars are demolished due to a redesign after relocating the Kanjurmarg depot, causing further delays.

MUMBAI: A few pillars of Metro 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) are being demolished and construction has halted on the eastern part of the line. This is being done after the route was redesigned due to the shifting of the Kanjurmarg depot from the earlier plot to the new car depot site towards the north of the plot.

Metro 6 pillars on JVLR undergoing demolition

The 15.31-km Pink line has had a few setbacks in the past, with the latest being the demolition of the pillars. The project is being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at an estimated cost of ₹6,700 crore.

“Earlier, the Metro 6 car depot was planned at Kanjurmarg adjoining the Eastern Express Highway,” said sources within MMRDA. “For connecting the metro viaduct to the depot, the cantilever and portal piers were designed as per the alignment to accommodate track entry to the depot.”

With the car depot moved to the adjacent plot on the northern side, a redesign and reconstruction has become necessary. In 2023, the state government had initiated the process to transfer a new 15-hectare plot to MMRDA. As per the revised car depot layout and depot entry location, the viaduct alignment has been modified.

Sources confirmed that the demolition of the pillars began last week but did not disclose how many pillars would have to be redone as part of the redesigning process. “Due to the change in alignment, a few piers have been redesigned while utilising already constructed foundations within the required design parameters and complying with structural design requirements,” said an official.

The construction of the corridor began in 2017 with a deadline of 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic, litigation pertaining to the earlier car depot at Kanjurmarg—which continues to be fought in the Bombay high court—and engineering and contractual challenges have caused endless delays.

In October 2023, MMRDA cancelled bids related to the route’s rolling stock and fire safety. The decision was made, as the tender documents failed to meet the mandatory guidelines instituted by the Central Vigilance Commission. They were re-floated, and in July this year construction and infra company NCC Ltd was awarded the ₹2,269-crore contract by MMRDA, which entails designing, manufacturing, supply, installation, integration, testing and commissioning of rolling stock, communication-based signalling systems, train control, telecom systems, platform screen doors and depot machinery. NCC in turn gave the ₹1,598.55-crore rolling stock contract to Titagarh Rail Systems Limited.