Metro-2a, 7 to be delayed by 3 months: MMRDA chief

Mumbaiites can expect a three-month delay for Metro 2A (Dahisar-dn Nagar) and Metro -7 (Dahisar E-andheri E) lines to get operational, Mumbai metropolitan commissioner RA Rajeev said in a webinar hosted by a media outlet on Tuesday evening. The two lines were to be operational by December this year.

“Though we had a workforce of 11,000 labourers at various sites, the work was stopped for a month or two [owing to the lockdown]. Now, many migrant workers are looking at going back to their states. So we are expecting a two to three-month delay. The Metros that were to start in December 2020, might start by March-april next year,” Rajeev said.

Though the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had talked about the delay in the two projects when the lockdown was announced in March, this is for the first time that the commissioner has announced revised dates for the two Metro projects.

Rajeev also said that the delay period has been estimated as per the current situation. “If we see another surge [in Covid-19 cases], we will have to revisit the timelines and finances. These are times of uncertainty. There will be cost escalations and delays that have to be borne,” he said.

The 18.6-km Metro-2a project is estimated to cost ₹6,410 crore, while the 16.5-km Metro-7 project is expected to cost ₹6,208 crore. MMRDA is the nodal authority for the Mumbai Metro Master Plan, which is looking to implement a 337-km network in and around the city.

Rajeev said that MMRDA has resumed work at many sites and the workers are taking due precautions. “All the workers are wearing masks and adhering to social distancing wherever possible. Hand sanitisers have been provided at all sites. We take two meetings a day to guide them on the precautions,” he said. MMRDA is also building a make-shift 1,008-bed capacity hospital at the MMRDA grounds at Bandra-kurla Complex, Rajeev said.

The sessions court on Tuesday allowed Faisal Mirza, booked for conspiring to carry out terror attacks in various places in Gujarat, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh to attend his mother’s funeral through a video call.

Mirza’s lawyer Arshad Shaikh had on Tuesday morning approached the special court to direct the prison authorities to make necessary arrangements for him to attend the funeral of his mother who passed away on Tuesday morning.

The court after hearing the plea directed the prison authorities to arrange a video call for Mirza. The court has further directed the prison authorities to submit a report for the same.

Mirza, a 32-year-old electrician and resident of Jogeshwari, was allegedly in touch with Lashkar-e-taiba (LET) members. Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) officials said his association with the terror outfit that carried out November 26, 2008, attack on Mumbai became stronger when he went to Sharjah and later Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mirza was arrested by Maharashtra ATS in May 2018. He was allegedly planning to kill several leading politicians, film personalities, and also conduct a series of bomb explosions in various cities.

MIRZA, A 32-YEAR-OLD ELECTRICIAN AND RESIDENT OF JOGESHWARI, WAS ALLEGEDLY IN TOUCH WITH LASHKAR-E-TAIBA (LET) MEMBERS . HE WAS ARRESTED BY THE ATS IN MAY 2018