MahaMetro fast tracks Kharghar-Pendhar metro line

MahaMetro has fast-tracked the construction work on the Kharghar-Pendhar metro stretch in Navi Mumbai. On completion, residents will be able to take a Metro from Central Park in Kharghar to Pendhar, which is a 5-km length with five stations – Pendhar, Pethali Taloja, Amandoot, Pethapada and Central Park. The Navi Mumbai Metro project is expected to start operations on the remaining stations from Belapur to Kharghar by December 2022. The Navi Mumbai integrated elevated metro rail corridor is expected to not just connect the city's nodes and boost the transit system but also act as an economic booster. CIDCO is developing four elevated corridors under the Navi Mumbai Metro project that will connect to the proposed international airport. The entire first phase is an 11km-line from Belapur to Pendhar and is of over ₹4,000 crore with 11 stations, a depot for maintenance at Taloja and two traction substations in Panchanand and Kharghar. Maha Metro will also run services on Line 1 for 10 years as per an agreement.

MD, CIDCO VC, Sanjay Mukherjee, informed that the project was delayed due to several engineering and other issues. Since several important permissions are in place, they are now aiming for a safety certification from the commissioner, Metro Rail Safety and then will be able to start partial commercial operations of Line 1 by year-end and the full operations should begin from December 2022.