The two corridors in Phase I suggested by the consultant to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) are Nerul-Uran and a ring route from Belapur to Mansarovar via Kharghar and Kalamboli.

“DMRC has suggested taking up metro corridors phase-wise. While other corridors would only be needed after 2021 after a relook at the masterplan,” said G S Gill, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, CIDCO. The 27-km Nerul-Uran corridor is expected to be completed by 2015.

The proposed elevated metro rail corridors are indicated to cost around Rs 140 crore per km. The cost of construction for the Mumbai metro is between Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore/km, while the underground corridor proposed from Colaba to Bandra would cost three times that of an elevated corridor in Mumbai. “The entire stretch would be elevated thus making it cost efficient,” Gill added.

Navi Mumbai needs a metro rail project for better transportation in view of the proposed international airport near Kalamboli and the upcoming central business district in Belapur, which houses government as well as corporate houses. The DMRC that also prepared the masterplan for Mumbai metro rail project had voiced its reservations on a public private partnership model being adopted for the city has recommended the PPP-model in Navi Mumbai. “We’ve not gone in detail into the implementation model but it differs depending upon region. The DMRC has recommended PPP,” Gill stated.