Mumbai’s monorail sees successful trial run

Getting into the big league of railway transport, the Maharashtra government oversaw the successful trial run of an ultra-fast monorail train yesterday. Flagging off the trial run, state chief minister Ashok Chavan called it a Republic Day gift to Mumbai.

"It is an engineering marvel, the only one of its kind in India for the use of the common man. Around three lakh people are expected to use it on a daily basis. I think it is one of the best things that have happened to Mumbai," Chavan said.

The project is being jointly implemented by Larsen & Toubro and Malaysia's Scomi Group, who expect to complete it this year at a cost of Rs2,460 crore. An initiative of the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), the monorail will move on a single elevated beam rather than conventional tracks.

The project involves design, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of a 19.4km route between Jacob Circle and Chembur.

Phase I will be between Wadala and Chembur via Mahul (about 9 km); while phase II will cover Gadge Maharaj Chowk to Wadala (11 km).

"Phase I from Wadala to Chembur is expected to be completed and commissioned by this year-end. The second phase is expected to be completed by December 2011," L&T executive vice-president and & head, corporate initiatives, Shailendra Roy, told reporters on the occasion.