That’s because while the Reliance Energy Ltd-led consortium launched construction following pressure from the government, MMOPL is still battling several hurdles to construction—the handing over of a plot of land for a car depot at D N Nagar and an unhindered Right of Way along the 11.4 km stretch—that the MMRDA must clear.

According to K P Maheshwari, director of MMOPL, the MMRDA is still to grant them a clear ROW for over half the length of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor. “We have been given only a 4-km stretch to start the work, which is not a single stretch,” Maheshwari said. Various encroachments remain along the route, he said. Despite the hurdles, the civil construction contract, awarded to Simplex Infrastructures, stipulates a 22-month working period, according to Maheshwari.

While the car depot land was sought for casting work, the MMRDA has instead allotted land at Versova and at Wadala. “We have got land at Wadala, temporarily, for the pre-casting. It will be adequate,” Maheshwari added.

MMOPL officials said construction can begin between Andheri station and Saki Naka, near Subhash Nagar and in some stretches near Ghatkopar station. However, Maheshwari said construction would only begin where a considerable stretch is available. On the ROW, he said: “We would like to get the entire stretch in maximum three month’s time.”