Metro 3 phase one will be operational by early 2024: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday informed the legislative council that the first phase of Metro 3 between BKC and Seepz will be in operation from early 2024. He also declared that the coastal road will be open for vehicles partially in November this year.

While replying to a discussion on infrastructure projects in the city, Fadnavis said, “Work on the coastal road project is in its last stages and it will be partially opened for vehicles in November this year. Due to the change in design of the bridge near the Worli-Bandra Sea Link, the work of that portion will take more time to complete. But Mumbaikars can use other parts of the coastal road by November.”

He also said that Gokhale Bridge in the western suburbs of the city will be completed by December this year.

“Metro-3 is a very important transport infrastructure, but unfortunately the work was delayed by three years due to a stay given by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on the works of Aarey car shed. As soon as our government took over, we lifted the stay and work restarted after three years of shutdown. About 54% of work was completed in the last six months. The overall work of the Metro 3 project is almost 80% complete. The government has completed 100% rehabilitation of 2,100 project-affected people and construction work for the houses of 650 families in Girgaon-Kalbadevi is in process,” Fadnavis told the council.

He also said that the work of seven sewage treatment plants in the city, including Dharavi, Malad, Versova, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Bandra and Worli, was in process and they will be operational in three to five years. Once these STPs start functioning, the colour of the sea water on Mumbai coast will change to blue.