Line 2 (Mumbai Metro)

A 38.24 km (23.76 mi) long Colaba–Bandra–Charkop line was proposed as Line 2 in the original Mumbai Metro master plan unveiled by the MMRDA in 2004. A 13.37 km (8.31 mi) long Bandra-Kurla–Mankhurd line and a 7.5 km (4.7 mi) line from Charkop to Dahisar were proposed as Line 3 and Line 4, respectively, in the same plan.[4][5][6] In the updated master plan, the proposed Charkop–Bandra–Mankhurd and Charkop–Dahisar lines were merged into a single Dahisar–Bandra–Mankhurd line, which would have been 32 km (20 mi) and had 27 stations. This was planned to be the second corridor of the Mumbai Metro. Like Line 1, this corridor was also proposed to be constructed on a public private partnership (PPP) model.[7]

Then President Pratibha Patil launched the project in August 2009. The MMRDA appointed Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), in consortium with SNC Lavolin Inc. Canada and Reliance Communication,[8] through an international competitive bidding process to carry out this phase of the project, and the concession agreement was signed with the RInfra-led consortium in January 2010.[9] The project was proposed to be implemented on build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis for a concession period of 35 years with an extension clause of another 10 years.[8] The MMRDA estimated the project would cost ₹8,250 crore (US$1.0 billion), while Reliance Infrastructure estimated it would cost ₹ 11,000 crore.[10] Construction was planned to begin in August 2010 and be completed by mid-2013.[11] However, construction work had yet to begin by December 2012, leading to calls for Line 2 to be cancelled outright.[9]

The line's construction was handicapped by the lack of available land for carsheds at Charkop and Mankhurd; Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) laws forbade construction on the land that had been selected by the MMRDA. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) refused to give clearance for the depots.[12] MMRDA officials plan to solve the problem by shifting the location of the proposed rake depot to Malwani near Malad. The 19 hectares (0.19 km²) plot does not come under the purview of the CRZ laws and therefore will not require environmental clearances.[13] The MMRDA has said that they have not ruled out an underground line, claiming that they had considered a combination of an elevated and underground alignment but had deemed it impossible due to the large land requirement for ramps and slip roads.[14]

On 6 September 2012, the MMRDA sent a letter to Reliance Infrastructure asking them to start work on the metro immediately or face legal action.[15][16] In response to the letter, RInfra blamed the government and MMRDA for the delayed construction work. They said that the government had failed to fulfill its contractual obligation to provide the necessary land, right of way permits and clearances.[17][18][19][20] On 8 February 2013, then RInfra CEO Sumit Banerjee claimed that the project had not advanced because the MMRDA had failed to fulfill its share of the responsibilities.[21][22] The state government had since been considering alternative sites for the depot, which might have led to complete change in the alignment of the line and could have required re-bidding for the project.[23] On 9 August 2013, DNA reported that an MMRDA official had informed them that a 27-acre (11 ha) plot that was to be used as the casting yard for Line 2, was planned to be marked for use as a casting yard for Line 3. The paper called the move "a clear indication" that Line 2 "will not take off in the near future."[24] Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told the media on 30 August 2013 that "it is now clear that Mumbai's Metro II project will now not happen."[25][26]

On 13 November 2014, Reliance Infrastructure announced that it had terminated the agreement between the MMTPL and the Maharashtra government. RInfra stated, "Due to non-fulfilment of various critical obligations by Maharashtra government and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the project could not take off. Even after four years, despite the best efforts of the Maharashtra government, various project impediments could not be resolved." The MMRDA issued a statement confirming that the agreement was terminated with mutual consent. No party will bare any cost as a result of the termination and the state government will return a bank guarantee of ₹ 160 crore. The MMRDA also clarified that the Line 2 project had not been cancelled and will be constructed by the Mumbai Metro Railway Corp. Ltd (MMRCL) under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model.[27][28]

In September 2013, the MMRDA appointed RITES to study the feasibility of constructing the proposed 32 km (20 mi) metro line underground. RITES also studied the feasibility of extending the corridor and merging the 7.5 km (4.7 mi) Charkop-Dahisar metro, proposed as a separate line, with this project. RITES submitted its final report to the MMRDA in the last week of May 2014, concluding that constructing the metro underground and extending it up to Dahisar was feasible.[29][30][31] The merged Dahisar-Bandra-Mankhurd line would be 40.2 km (25.0 mi) long and have 37 underground stations. The estimated cost of construction of this line was ₹28,900 crore, 134% higher than the originally estimated costs of ₹7,660 crore for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd line and ₹4,680 crore for the Charkop-Dahisar corridor. RITES proposed the construction of a major car depot at Oshiwara and a minor car depot at Mandale, Mankhurd on sites that were a mix of publicly and privately held land.[32] The extension of the line to Mankhurd was proposed to resolve land acquisition issues as land was available for the construction of a depot at Mankhurd.[33]

In June 2015, the MMRDA proposed building an 18.6 km line from Dahisar East to Andheri East, and a 12 km line from Bandra Kurla Complex to Mankhurd as part of a plan to build 6 new metro lines at a total estimated cost of ₹64,000 crore (US$8.0 billion).[34] The MMRDA approved the detailed project report for the line in August 2015. The report estimated the cost of the project as ₹12,000 crore (US$1.5 billion).[35] On 15 June 2015, the MMRDA announced that it would combine the two stretches and implement Line 2 of the Mumbai Metro in three parts - Dahisar East-DN Nagar (Metro 2A), DN Nagar-BKC (Metro 2B), and BKC-Mankhurd (Metro 2C).[36][37] On 1 July 2015, it was announced that the MMRDA was allotted a 22-acre (8.9 ha) plot in Mankhurd adjacent to the Sion Panvel highway for the Metro carshed. The land was under dispute between the MMRDA and the State Home Ministry for the construction of a Jail.[38]

The plan was later modified to build the line in two sections - Dahisar-DN Nagar (Metro 2A) and DN Nagar-Mankhurd (Metro 2B). Metro 2A was approved by the Maharashtra Government on 6 October 2015.[39] In November 2015, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) cleared the MMRDA's request to secure a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).[40] The Maharashtra Cabinet approved the Metro 2B corridor on 27 September 2016. Half of the project cost will be funded by the Centre and the State Government, while the remaining will be financed through loans from the Asian Development Bank and New Development Bank. The Metro 2B corridor was proposed to be 23.5 km (14.6 mi) long and have 22 stations. The project was estimated to cost ₹10,986 crore,[41][42] including land acquisition cost of ₹1,274 crore.[33]

In February 2020, MMRDA metropolitan commissioner R.A. Rajeev stated that Line 2 would be identified as the Yellow Line.[43] A study by World Resources Institute (WRI) India, published in May 2021, estimated that Metro 2A and Line 7 had the potential to create 1.1 million jobs in the city.[44]

The elevated Metro 2B line received permission from Central Railway (CR) to be built at a height of 22 metres over the Central Line to accommodate CR's plan to construct an elevated CST-Panvel high-speed rail line and an elevated CST-Kalyan line. The MMRDA objected to the height band due to concerns over difficulty involved in operating a metro line at that height as well as evacuating passengers to ground level in case of an emergency. The Central Railway later granted the MMRDA permission to build Metro 2B at a height of 13 metres, with the CST-Panvel elevated line proposed to take a height of 22 metres.[45]

The plan to build Metro 2B as an elevated corridor faced opposition. Residents of SV Road gathered at the Sacred Heart Boys’ School in Khar to protest the Metro 2B project on 12 August 2017.[46] Petitions against the project were also filed in the Bombay High Court by the Juhu Vile Parle Development Cooperative Housing Association, the Gulmohar area society welfare group, and the Balabhai Nanavati Hospital.[47] Some Mumbai residents protested the project on 5 October 2017 at Santacruz and Mahim.[48][49] Several celebrities including Javed Akthar participated in the protest.[50] Metro 2B also faced legal issues concerning the section between Indira Nagar and Nanavati Hospital that passes through a funnel area of the Juhu Aerodrome.[51][52]

In June 2018, the MMRDA filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court stating that it had "taken into consideration all the aspects of the project, including the pros and cons of underground and elevated Metro, and have taken a conscious decision to go for elevated Metro". The agency stated that there was insufficient land available to build the metro partly underground as large quantities of land were required to build the ramps going underground and coming back overground. The agency also noted that an underground metro would take 2 years to build and would cost over 5.5 times more per kilometer than an elevated line. The MMRDA stated that the design of the metro was a "highly technical issue" and that the petitioners did not have the required scientific experience to evaluate it.[47][53] In August 2019, the Court directed the petitioners to explain why they thought the MMRDA had selected an elevated line instead of an underground line, after the petitioner's advocate stated that he "had not come prepared" and did not know if there was a scientific reason behind the MMRDA's decision.[54] The Bombay High Court ruled in favour of the MMRDA and dismissed all petitions against the Metro 2B project.[55][56][57]

Two metro stations (MMRDA station and Kurla Terminus) that were originally proposed for Metro 2B were cancelled. The MMRDA Station was cancelled because it overlapped with the Kalanagar flyover ramp. The Kurla Terminus station was cancelled in September 2020 because it was in the path of the restricted funnel zone for Juhu Aerodrome. Further, the proposed SG Barve Marg station was only 474 metres away from the proposed Kurla Terminus. Another issue was that the Kurla Terminus station would have been located in between the Santa Cruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR) rail overbridge and another permanent structure.[58][59]

Line 7 of the Mumbai Metro connects Dahisar East with Andheri East, and the depot for the line was proposed to be located at Dahisar.[60] However, land acquisition for the Dahisar depot was delayed by litigation filed in 2016. In 2020, the MMRDA proposed using the depot at Charkop to serve both Line 2A and Line 7 by building a ring metro line to connect the two corridors. The MMRDA utilized an empty plot of land located after Ovaripada station on Line 7 to build pillars for the link connecting the two lines.[61][62] In November 2021, the MMRDA cancelled the plan to build the depot at Dahisar and instead proposed building the depot for Lines 7, 7A and 9 at Rai Murdhe in Bhayandar.[63]

Line 2A and Line 7 were both commissioned on 2 April 2022, with services operating between Dahanukarwadi and Aarey via Dahisar East. Both lines were extended on 19 January 2023, providing circular service between Andheri West and Gundavali via Dahisar East.[64] The Charkop depot currently serves as the depot for Line 2A and Line 7. The Mandale depot will be used to serve Lines 2A and 2B once completed.[65]

Metro 2A is 18.589 km (11.551 mi) long and connects Dahisar East to DN Nagar with 17 stations.[33] Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation station for Metro 2A on 11 October 2015.[73] The DMRC floated two tenders for the designing and construction of the corridor. The first package included the design and construction of a viaduct and 9 stations from Dahisar East to Dahanukarwadi, and the second package included the remaining viaduct and 8 stations from Valnai to Andheri West. J Kumar Infra Projects Limited was awarded both packages in June 2016, and carried out civil work, including viaducts and stations. The cost of the contract was ₹1,300 crore (US$160 million), with J Kumar Infra bidding below the reserve price.[74][75]

Soil testing work along the corridor commenced in July 2016.[76] Construction on the corridor began in November 2016.[77] The corridor was scheduled to be commissioned in October 2019, but delays in procuring rolling stock and issues with civil works pushed the deadline to December 2020.[77] The opening of the line was further delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[78] As of 13 September 2017, 77% of the soil investigation work for pier foundation, 76% of barricading work, 37% piles, and 19% pile caps were completed, and 110 piers were cast, 75 pier caps erected, 26 U girders erected and work pile foundation work commenced for all 17 stations.[77] In April 2019, the MMRDA issued tenders for the rooftop solar PV power projects at stations on Metro 2A.[79] Track laying work on the line began in June 2019.[80]

Shimpoli station under construction in Borivali; February 2022.

The stations on the line have a platform length of 185 metres to serve 8 car rakes. Stations were built on a single pier, unlike the three piers used to support stations on Line 1. The single pier design was chosen due to lack of space available for construction on New Link Road. Unlike most metros in India, the stations were not completely constructed on site. Construction utilized "pi-girders" which were pre-cast at a casting yard in Bandra. The girders were then erected onto the station for platforms.[81] Most of the spans on the line have a length of 25–28 metres. A 51 metre long steel girder was installed on New Link Road in Kandivali to accommodate a 700 metre radius curve along the line.[82]

MMRDA metropolitan commissioner R.A. Rajeev stated in September 2020 that almost 80% of construction work had been completed.[83] The MMRDA began conducting pre-trials on the rolling stock at the Charkop depot in February 2021.[84] The MMRDA announced that electrification of the line had been completed on 26 May, and the first trial runs were conducted from 31 May.[85][86] The MMRDA began a dynamic test and trial run on the 20 km stretch between Dhanukarwadi and Aarey (including a portion of Line 7) on 19 June.[87] The final I-girder on Line 2A was launched at Adarsh Nagar Junction in Andheri on 6 October 2021.[88] The stretch between Dhanukarwadi and Aarey received provisional approval from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in January 2022.[89] The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) began inspecting the line in February 2022.[90]

A section of Metro 2A from Dhanukarwadi to Dahisar East (along with the section of Line 7 from Dahisar East to Aarey) was opened on 2 April 2022. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray flagged off the first train at 4pm in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Pravin Darekar. The line opened for public service from 8pm, with services operating between Dahanukarwadi and Aarey (on Line 7) via Dahisar East.[91]

The remaining section of Metro 2A from Dhanukarwadi to DN Nagar received approval from the RDSO in October 2022.[92] The CMRS began inspecting the line in December 2022.[93] The final section of the line (along with the final section of Line 7 from Goregaon East to Gundavali) was inaugurated on 19 January 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[94][95]

Metro 2B is 23.643 km (14.691 mi) long and connects DN Nagar to Mankhurd with 20 stations.[45] The foundation stone for Metro 2B was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 December 2016.[96] The MMRDA utilized a drone to carry out survey work for Metro 2B. The drones were fitted with a 360-degree camera that provides up to 3 millimeter accuracy. The aerial survey takes less time than a regular survey, achieves greater accuracy and helps protect against false claims for compensation.[97] The MMRDA invited bids for civil work on Metro 2B on 4 January 2017.[98][99] Metro 2B was divided into four packages - ESIC Nagar to Khira Nagar, Saraswat Nagar to ILFS, MTNL Metro to Chembur, and Diamond Garden to Mandale.[100] Metro 2B was tendered alongside Metro 4. L&T, Afcons Infrastructure, Tata, NCC and JMC, Reliance Infrastructure-RdE, JKumar Group, ITD Cementation, CHEC-TPL bid for packages on both Metro 2B and Metro 4. Simplex Infrastructure and a consortium of GHEC-RCC-JV-China placed bids only for some packages of Metro 2B. A total of 10 firms and/or consortia submitted bids for the two lines.[101][102] The MMRDA shortlisted 8 bidders for the contract to build the Mandale depot in November 2017.[103]

Simplex Infrastructure was awarded a ₹1,080 crore (US$140 million) to build the first package of Metro 2B by the MMRDA on 13 November 2017. This included the design and construction of a 12 km long viaduct and 11 elevated stations including ESIC Nagar, Prem Nagar, Indira Nagar, Old Airport, Khira Nagar, Saraswat Nagar, National College, Bandra (W), MMRDA Office, Income Tax Office and BKC.[104][105] A joint venture between RCC Infra Ventures and MBZ-Ukrain was awarded a ₹521 crore (US$65 million) contract for the second package on 3 March 2018. This included the design and construction of a 5.9 km long elevated viaduct, the Mandale car depot, and 6 metro stations including MTNL Metro, SG Barve Marg, Kurla Terminus, Kurla East, and Chembur.[106] Construction began in April 2018.[107] In March 2019, the MMRDA altered the alignment of the proposed route at BKC Road to avoid it passing in front of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's residence.[108]

On 4 February 2020, the MMRDA terminated the contract awarded to Simplex Infrastructure and the RCC-MBZ joint venture over delay in completing the work. Simplex had completed 5% of the total work in 30 months, while it was scheduled to have completed 65%.[109][110] RCC-MBZ had only completed 4.46% of total work.[111] The MMRDA awarded a ₹1,307.88 crore (US$160 million) to J Kumar Infraprojects to complete work on the first package in June 2021,[112][113] and a ₹760 crore (US$95 million) contract to Nagarjuna Construction Company to complete work on the second package of Metro 2B in March 2022.[114][111] Construction resumed in March 2023.[115][116] The MMRDA stated that 70% of work on the Mandale depot had been completed by the end of May 2023.[117]

BEML was awarded a ₹3,015 crore (US$380 million) contract to supply 378 metro cars (63 trainsets) for Line 2 and Line 7 in November 2018.[126] An additional 126 metro cars (21 trainsets) were ordered from BEML to cater to metro extensions.[127] All trainsets were manufactured at BEML's Rail Coach Factory in Bangalore, Karnataka. The rakes are capable of driverless operation making them the first driverless metro trains to be made in India.[128] BEML began manufacturing the coaches on 29 July 2019,[129] built the first metro coach in 75 days and unveiled it in September 2019.[130] The first trainset arrived in Mumbai on 28 January 2021.[131]

Each trainset is made up of 6 coaches with a total passenger capacity of 1,660 and dense crush load capacity of 2,092. The trainset is 3.2 metres wide, made of stainless steel and each coach has 4 doors on each side. The rake employs a regenerative braking system.[132][127]

The Charkop depot currently serves as the depot for Line 2A and Line 7.[65] The Charkop depot is located on a 16.40 hectare site,[70] and has 20 stabling lines.[65] The Charkop depot had 305 employees of which 30% were women (as of October 2022).[133]

The depot for Line 2 is proposed to be located on a 28 hectare site at Mandale, and is the largest metro depot in Mumbai. It has a double decker structure with 76 stabling lines.[65] It is currently under construction and will serve Line 2A and 2B once completed.

Line 2 utilises the Alstom Urbalis 400 communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling system. Alstom was awarded a EUR90 million contract to supply the signalling and telecommunications systems for Mumbai Metro Line 2 and Line 7, as well as Pune Metro Line 1 and Line 7.[134][135]

Line 2 is electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC, with power provided via an overhead catenary. The MMRDA signed an agreement with Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited to supply electricity to Metro 2A and Metro 7 on 2 December 2022. Around 120 million units is required to power both lines.[136][137]

A consortium of Indian company Datamatics and Italian company AEP Ticketing solutions S.R.L was awarded a ₹160 crore (US$20 million) contract to implement the automated fare collection system for Line 2 and Line 7 in February 2019.[138][139][140]