Work on Navi Mumbai Metro Rail begins

The much-awaited Navi Mumbai Metro Rail (NMMR) project is on track and foundation works for the first phase of line between Belapur and Pendhar has commenced, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) said. CIDCO has undertaken the work on the metro based on the detailed project report (DPR) prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). A tendering doc­ument for the stations, tracks and traction, rolling stocks, signaling and telecommunications and automated fare collection (AFC) was in process and will be finalised by December 2012, it said. The first phase, spread over 21.45 km, will cover Belapur to Pendhar (11.1 km), Pendhar to MIDC (2.2 km) and MIDC to Khandeshwar (8.15 km). The approved project cost of Phase I is Rs 1,694 crore. Louis Berger Group Inc and Balaji Rail Road Systems (consortium member) have been appointed as general consultants for implementation of NMMR.