mumbai

Updated: Aug 13, 2018 05:01 IST

The construction of the Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg (Metro-6) corridor will start by the end of the year.

The 14.47-km corridor will be the city’s second east-west connecting Metroline after the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro one corridor. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which is executing the project on behalf of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), awarded the civil construction contract to J Kumar Infra Projects Ltd for a section of the corridor between Samarth Nagar in Lokhandwala and Mahakali Caves in Andheri East.

“The contract for one of the three construction packages has been awarded; it entails construction of viaduct and five stations. The cost of the package is Rs 867 crore. The remaining civil contracts for two construction packages will be awarded by the end of the month,” said a senior DMRC official, requesting anonymity.

The corridor will have 13 stations and is expected to have a daily ridership of 6.5 lakh in 2021 and 7.69 lakh in 2031. The estimated cost for the corridor is Rs 6,672 crore.

With construction of Metro-6, the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road -- a major east-west connector -- would be barricaded leading to more traffic jams.

Currently, construction on three Metro lines is going on in the city, and motorists are facing snarls on the Western Express Highway and Link Road between Andheri and Borivli. However, MMRDA officials said that they expect to free up some of the barricaded portions on the two roads to ease traffic congestion.

Metro-6 will be integrated with Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) corridor at Infinity Mall in Andheri, Metro-7 (Dahisar east-Andheri east) corridor at Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) corridor at SEEPZ area, Metro-4 (Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavali) corridor at Kanjurmarg west and connectivity to suburban railway stations at Jogeshwari and Kanjurmarg.