Uncertainty looms over Metro 8 construction: CIDCO or MMRDA?

The route will be constructed by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and CIDCO. But the then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had taken the stand a few months ago that the construction of this route should be done by one of the two systems. But no final decision has been taken on it. But now, the new Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to take a final decision on this soon. Therefore, there is no clarity on which organisation will do the work. 

Metro 8 is a very important route in the 337 km metro project of MMRDA. This route will connect Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai Airport. A two-hour journey from Mumbai Airport to Navi Mumbai Airport will be possible in just 30 minutes. Therefore, CIDCO and MMRDA have started preliminary proceedings to complete this route. According to the original decision, the construction of this 35 km route will be done by MMRDA and CIDCO.

The construction of the road in Navi Mumbai area will be done by CIDCO while the construction of the road in Mumbai area will be done by MMRDA. Accordingly, MMRDA has prepared a detailed project plan for the 10.1 km Metro 8 route from Mumbai Airport to Mankhurd from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Urban Mass Transit Company has been entrusted with the planning of the phase from CIDCO Mankhurd to Navi Mumbai Airport. However, no final decision has been taken yet regarding the actual construction of this route.

The CIDCO and MMRDA had decided to construct this route. But before the assembly elections, the state government had held a meeting to hand over this project completely to a single system. In this meeting, then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde preferred to hand over this entire route to MMRDA. The then Chief Secretary and MMRDA-CIDCO suggested implementing the project through Maha Metro. At the same time, since most of the routes in this route are in Navi Mumbai, it was also suggested that CIDCO should construct this route. After all these discussions, Shinde could not give any final decision on who will actually lay the Metro 8 route. But now, Fadnavis has given priority to complete all the projects in the Mumbai metropolitan region. Now it is expected that a decision will be taken regarding Metro 8 as well.