Mumbai metro project to be completed before 2012: Anil Ambani

Mumbai July 10 (UNI) The Rs 2,500 crore Mumbai Metro Rail Project would be completed way ahead of its specified time of 2012, Reliance Energy Limited, Chairman Anil Ambani hinted today.

Addressing shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) here, Mr Ambani said ''as per the agreement, we were expected to complete the project in five years by 2012, but given our excellent track record in managing complex and large-scale projects, we hope to finish well before the specified time''.

Reliance was awarded the first-ever Metro rail project in Mumbai city under public private partnership (PPP), based on built, operate and transfer model. It involves development and operation of a fully elevated metro rail along the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor in Mumbai. The project will cover a distance of about 12 kms and will benifit over 6 lakh commuters. It will connect Versova to Ghatkopar, through Andheri, reducing the travel time from the current 90 minutes to less than 22 minutes.

Reliance energy has also bid for Line 2 of the Mumbai metro project, comprising a 32 km elevated track between Mankhurd and Charkop via Bandra, at an investment outlay of around Rs 6,500 crore.

UNI