After a long wait of 12 years, the Navi Mumbai Metro on Friday began its operations.
The service kicks off almost five months after City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) officials claimed they were all set to start the train. The key project was to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but got cancelled twice as the PMO did not give the green signal.
Though there was buzz that PM Modi would visit Navi Mumbai to inaugurate the metro, the second leg of the Belapur-Uran railway, and Digh railway station, there was no confirmation from either the chief minister or the PMO.
On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde finally directed CIDCO to start the operations “in the interest of residents”.
In a press statement issued by CIDCO on Friday, Shinde said: “The most-awaited Metro will start operating from 17th November, I congratulate Navi Mumbaikar residents for that. I had ordered CIDCO officials not to wait for the formal inauguration and put the convenience of residents as a priority. Metro will bring much-needed connectivity within the city and it will take forward governments resolution to spread metro network within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region”.
The first service will start from Pendhar station to Belapur Terminal from both sides at 3pm and the last service will be at 11pm. From Saturday, the first train will run from 6am from both the ends and the last metro will run at 10pm. There will be a train every 15 minutes on this line.
“The dream of Navi Mumbai residents has come true. The metro will give fast, comfortable and environment-friendly options in public transport to residents. This will provide the best connectivity option to residents from Taloja and Kharghar nodes. The metro is an appropriate transport service in an attempt to make Navi Mumbai an international city,” said Anil Diggikar, vice-chairman and Managing Director, CIDCO.
The 11.10km metro line for Navi Mumbai with 11 stations took 12 years to complete due to technical and legal issues, even though CIDCO planned to complete the first line within three years of the ground-breaking ceremony and make it operational. Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai metro will start from CBD Belapur to Pendhar.
The stations on the line are Belapur Terminal, Sector-7 Belapur, Science Park, Utsav Chowk, Sector 11- Kharghar, Sector -14 Kharghar, Central Park, Pethpada, Sector-34 Kharghar, Pachnand, Pendhar Terminal.
Taking a dig at the Maharashtra government, Shiv Sena UBT leader and former cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray posted on microblogging website ‘X’: “Another impact from my tweet yesterday and earlier. I had tweeted and mentioned in the media that the Navi Mumbai Metro has been ready for inauguration for 5 months, but the Khoke Sarkar politicians have no time for inauguration. Today, it seems that the illegal cm has asked the relevant authorities to start the metro from tomorrow.
“I had demanded the same – open it up for the people to use if the ministers from this illegal govt have no time for people. For the current mindhe-bjp regime, that has illegally occupied govt positions in our state, it is self first, party next and people last. They have time to campaign for their party in our states but no time to open the Navi Mumbai Metro for 5 months.”
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