MUMBAI: Reliance Infrastructure has exited the second phase of Mumbai metro project, which was in limbo for five years. This is Reliance Infrastructure’s third exit from a mega project after the Delhi Airport Metro project and Mumbai Sea link extension project.The company and the Maharashtra government have “mutually” terminated the contract, Reliance Infrastructure said in a statement on Thursday. The contract to build the second phase of Mumbai metro— which would have connected the localities of Charkop, Bandra and Mankhurd—was awarded to the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group in 2009.In 2012, Reliance Infrastructure, which built Mumbai’s first Metro rail line, had exited from Mumbai’s Haji Ali-Worli sea link after a dispute with the authorities.In 2013, the company had withdrawn from the Delhi airport metro line, blaming the Delhi Metro authorities of failing to rectify faults, and had claimed payments. Reliance Infrastructure attributed the cancellation of the Mumbai Metro 2 to the Maharashtra government not being able to fulfil some obligations as per the concession agreement between the two.“Government of Maharashtra and the concessionaire (Reliance Infrastructure) signed the termination agreement at “no cost and no claims” to either party,” Reliance Infrastructure said. The company also said that the Maharashtra government would return its bank guarantee of Rs 160 core.In response to Reliance Infrastructure’s statement, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said the concession agreement has been terminated mutually. “A formal communication from Mumbai Metro Transport Pvt for return of the bank guarantee is awaited and the procedure to return the bank guarantee will follow immediately thereafter,” MMRDA said.The project was awarded to Reliance Infrastructure-led consortium through an international competitive bidding and the estimated cost of the project was Rs 12,000 core. On several occasions earlier, senior executives of Reliance Infrastructure had said that the company will not start work on the project unless the government fulfil all obligations. The government was unable to get environment ministry’s approval for land in Mankhurd and Charkop to set up depots, among other things.