Light rail to bridge city’s east-west divide

MUMBAI: The grim concrete corridor between the eastern and western suburbs may soon be transformed into a hyper-modern cityscape—-replete with seven new elevated railway stations, snazzy shopping malls and sleek light-rail trains zooming through the sky and zipping underground.
All this could be reality by 2006 if the proposal for the Andheri-Ghatkopar elevated rail link marks schedule.Already, 22 national and global firms have shown an interest in developing the nine-km cross-town track, which will link the existing Andheri and Ghatkopar railway stations and create a much-needed rail-head at the city''s international airport at Sahar.
The feasibility study of the Rs 850 crore project recommends that the rail link be elevated for almost its entire length, with one short section on the Western Express Highway going through a tunnel, due to a flyover and a proposed mall. Small shopping arcades may also be developed at either end of the line and at some of the intermediate stations.
Urban planners say the new mass rapid transport system is likely to be an important link between the eastern and western suburbs, especially because not only are new growth businesses like software and call centres located in these areas, but other commercial activities are also moving out of south Mumbai. Some firms are now making their office location choices on the basis of other proposed east-west links, like the Santa Cruz-Chembur link road and the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli link road, being constructed under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is already excited by the response from the 22 national and global transport firms, including companies like Bombardier and Siemens. "We will be shortlisting the firms within two months,'''' said joint metropolitan commissioner T. Chandrashekhar.
Indian companies such as the Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) have also submitted proposals. Incidentally, the KRC had earlier proposed an innovative ''skybus'' system for the same corridor which was rejected on the grounds that the technology was untested.
Transport experts attribute the response to the fact that other cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad are also contemplating new rail systems. "This is an opportunity for international firms to get in early on the scene. Bagging one project could open the door for more such ventures,'''' said a government transport expert, noting that Asian cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur have been building elevated rail systems in recent years.
According to Mr Chandrashekhar, the planning authority may decide to float a special purpose vehicle (SPV)—a company set up specifically to implement one commercial project—along the lines of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. "The structure depends on the proposals we get,'''' Mr Chandrashekhar said, adding that if the private operator was willing to bear the entire cost, an SPV would not be required. The feasibility study has also recommended such a promoter company, tentatively called the Mumbai Urban Mass Transit Authority.
As with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the authority may be asking the Centre for financial help. "It will be more like a governing body and could expand to include similar infrastructure projects in other parts of the city or state,'''' an official said.