The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to change the position of Pandurangwadi Station on the Metro 9. The MMRDA change in position due to avoid the demolition of the entry gate built on the Western Express Highway.
The proposed station was set to build on the West side of service road on the Western Express Highway. However, this would have required the demolition of the iconic entry-exit gate of Mumbai. Along with this, other 150 structures, including hotels, bar, restaurants and commercial units.
Necessary permissions have been obtained from the BMC for demolishing the entry gate, said an official. Further, the MMRDA has assured that it will reconstruct the gate after the Metro 9 station project gets completed. While an official said that the reconstruction will happen as per the designs provided by the civic body.
The realignment will facilitate the smooth construction of the Metro line as officials had been fearing that the rehabilitation of the demolished structures would have caused a hindrance for the time-bound completion of the project.
From Dahisar to Mira Bhayandar, there will be an 11-km long corridor with eight Metro 9 stations. It is an extension of Metro 7 (Andheri East to Dahisar East), which is being constructed in two phases. Previous project completion deadlines have been upended as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic which hit Mumbai particularly hard.
If all goes according to plan, the twin city will get a metro 9 rail by 2022. Replicating the Nagpur model, the MMRDA will inject an additional 217 crore to provide a two-story viaduct. The elevated roads for vehicles will be built on the first level and the metro line on the second level.
