Decks cleared for Rs 10,986-cr Metro Line 2B in Mumbai
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has received clearance for the construction of Metro Line 2B between DN Nagar and Mandale, as the Bombay High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the aviation authority's No Objection Certificate (NOC) regarding the height restrictions near the Juhu airport. The MMRDA Commissioner, S V R Srinivas, stated that the court recognized that infrastructure projects such as Metro lines, which the MMRDA undertakes, provide significant public benefits and should not be entangled in legal disputes that result in project delays and cost overruns. With the decision, the agency can now expedite work on the Metro 2B, a 23.643-km line with 20 stations being built at a cost of Rs 10,986 crore. The line's depot will be constructed on 31 hectares of land in Mandale, Mankhurd. The first phase of the project, connecting DN Nagar and National College in Bandra, will be completed by the end of 2024.