Latest news with #MMRCL
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Mumbai Metro's Line 3 now on Open Network for Digital Commerce; QR-based tickets to be available across apps
Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) announced on Wednesday that Metro Line 3 will be connected to the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), enabling passengers to book QR-based tickets through multiple consumer apps to travel on the fully underground Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor. This move eliminates the need for separate metro ticketing apps or standing in long queues at ticket counters. Passengers can now use widely available platforms such as EaseMyTrip, RedBus, OneTicket, Tummoc, Yatri-City Travel Guide, Highway Delite, and even Telegram-based Miles & Kilometres to purchase tickets. The OneTicket app also allows seamless travel across Metro Lines 1, 2A, 7 and now 3, enabling end-to-end metro journeys within Mumbai through a single digital interface. 'Integration of Metro Line 3 with the ONDC platform is a landmark step toward building a truly interoperable and inclusive urban mobility ecosystem. By enabling QR-based ticketing through multiple trusted apps, we are not only enhancing commuter convenience but also contributing to the broader vision of a digitally connected India,' said Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director, MMRCL, in a statement. Officials said this is part of a broader effort to make Mumbai's metro system more accessible and technology-friendly as it scales up to handle millions of daily commuters across the city. 'The ONDC network, backed by the Government of India, is designed to facilitate open and inclusive digital commerce by allowing various service providers to operate on a shared infrastructure. By joining this network, Metro Line-3 becomes the first fully underground metro corridor in the country to embrace this interoperable ticketing model,' said an MMRCL spokesperson. The line is expected to see partial commissioning soon with full operations anticipated in phases.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
MMRCL releases metro contractors' dues amid property tax wrangle
MUMBAI: Amid the ongoing litigation over property tax dues, the BMC has clarified that it has not violated any court orders or initiated enforcement action against the metro rail contractors working on Mumbai Metro Line 3. This clarification follows a legal notice issued by two metro contractors to the BMC and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) on April 21 this year, threatening to halt construction over withheld payments. Four private contractors—Dogus Soma JV, CEC-ITD JV, L&T STEC JV and HCC, had approached the Bombay high court, challenging the BMC's property tax demands under Section 184 of the Railways Act, 1989, which exempts railway land from such levies. They argued that the casting yard at Wadala Truck Terminal, used for Metro construction, falls under this exemption. On March 18, Hindustan Times was the first to report that MMRCL had warned contractors that payments would be withheld unless they cleared their property tax dues with the BMC. The contractors had, in March last year, filed writ petitions, prompting the high court to restrain the BMC from taking coercive action through an interim order issued on April 30, 2024. This relief has since been extended. In a letter dated May 14, 2025, the BMC informed its legal department that it stood by its position: casting yards are taxable, and contractors are jointly and severally liable. Following a hearing on March 27 last year before additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi, a formal order upheld the BMC's claims, and caveats were filed in court to protect its legal standing. In its letter, of which HT has a copy, the BMC reiterated, 'Given the ongoing judicial proceedings, no fresh notices have been issued or enforcement action taken against the contractors.' In view of the ongoing legal challenge, MMRCL has now released the contractors' withheld payments after securing an undertaking that links future tax settlement to contractual obligations. MMRCL had also sought a revised tax calculation based on reduced floor space index (FSI), which the BMC provided on January 31, 2025. Advocate Prerak Choudhary, representing the contractors, said, 'Our case is that the BMC's property tax demands violate Section 184 of the Railways Act, 1989, as no tax is payable on casting yards used for the metro project. We challenged these demands before the Bombay high court, which granted interim relief against coercive recovery. Despite this, the contractors' payments were withheld at the BMC's request, though they are now being released. While the immediate issue is resolved, we await the court's decision on the broader legality of the tax demands.' The final verdict in the case is still awaited.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Bus gets stuck in road cave-in near Girgaon Metro site, none injured
A Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) electric bus got stuck in a road cave-in close to the Girgaon Metro construction site Monday morning, leaving passengers in panic. While no one was injured, there were around 40 passengers in the bus. The accident occurred about 9.30 am near the intersection of Dr Babasaheb Jaykar Marg and Jagannath Shankar Sheth (JSS) Road opposite the Thakurdwar signal, where construction is underway for Metro Line 3 underground Girgaon station. As per BEST officials, the rear left wheel of the bus, which was plying on route number 121 from Backbay Depot to J Mehta Marg, got stuck in a cave-in on the road. The electric bus runs under the banner of Tata Group company in BEST fleet. All the passengers were rescued safely, officials confirmed. 'No passenger was hurt in the accident,' said a BEST official. 'The bus was recovered with the help of a towing van and taken back to the depot.' Several local residents and eyewitnesses alleged that the pit was almost five-feet deep. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), which is developing the underground corridor, stated the cave-in is believed to have been due to water ingress in the basement pit of an adjacent under-construction building. 'Water ingress was observed in the basement pit of the proposed Girgaon rehabilitation building, likely due to a nearby utility leakage. This seems to have caused ground-loss, forming a cavity that was not visible on the surface,' the MMRCL said in a statement. The agency added that it is also coordinating with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials to detect and seal any leakage in water mains, sewer lines or the storm water drainage system. 'Necessary measures are being taken to reinstate the affected road section at the earliest and to prevent any recurrence,' MMRCL added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
BEST bus gets stuck in Mumbai's Girgaon after road caves in; MMRCL blames underground water leak
MUMBAI: A BEST bus got stuck in a pit on Dr Babasaheb Jaykar Marg near the Girgaon Metro Line 3 rehabilitation site on Monday morning, after continuous rain caused the road to collapse and its rear tyre to sink into a depression. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The incident took place near Thakurdwar, above the under-construction site. No injuries or casualties were reported, and all passengers were safely evacuated from the bus shortly after the incident. According to BEST spokesperson Sudas Sawant, 'Our bus on route 121 from the Backbay Depot got stuck around 10 am today. No passengers on the bus were injured. As the bus belongs to a private contractor, Tata, the company's officials have been instructed to promptly remove the bus from the pit.' According to sources, the bus was later pulled out and towed away. Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) stated that water had entered the basement pit of the proposed rehabilitation building, likely due to a leak from a nearby underground utility line. This may have caused erosion beneath the surface, leading to the cavity that was not visible from above. 'The cavity was not visible on the surface. The incident occurred early in the morning and was managed swiftly,' said an MMRCL official. MMRCL is working with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to identify and repair any leaks in the area's water main, sewer line, or storm water drain (SWD) system. Officials said that repairs to the damaged road section are in progress, and steps are being taken to prevent a repeat of such incidents. The Girgaon site is one of several locations where rehabilitation buildings are being developed for Metro Line 3, which will link Colaba to SEEPZ via Bandra, forming an underground north–south rapid transit route through Mumbai.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
1.1 million litres of water in an under-construction pit at AAC led to its collapse
MUMBAI: Monday's unprecedented downpour put to test the Aqua Line of Mumbai metro, where 1.1 million litres of water accumulated in its last station – the Acharya Atre Chowk (AAC) – which was only partially opened to public. There are six entry-exit gates to the station, of which two are open for public; four are under-construction. The heavy rain led to one of the under-construction gates flooding, leading to services to AAC being suspended. The weight of the rainwater in the pit led to its collapse, flooding the station premises below. The temporary protective concrete retaining wall around it also failed to withstand the force of water. Officials from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) said the reason behind such an eventuality was because the area around Worli recorded 90 mm of rainfall in an hour (9.30-10.30 am); high tide alongside added to the problem. The AAC station is expected to reopen in a couple of days. 'The deepest point of this station is at 22 meters where water and slush has reached. High powered pumps are being used to flush it all out. Cleaning this portion is our first priority,' said Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRCL, on Tuesday. She also expressed optimism about reopening the AAC station in a couple of days. People in the know told HT that the retaining wall was built only to withstand 'normal rain', and that a red alert is sounded if rainfall exceeds 25 mm in an hour. This under-construction entry-exit point is located along Dr Annie Besant Road, where an overflowing stormwater drain also compounded the problem. 'The work of fitting the base slab on this under construction portion was pending. So, we created a pit with the retaining wall. 1.1 million litres of rain water was too much for this temporary pit to contain, which collapsed and crashed onto the station concourse. No other station on the underground Line-3 suffered similar problem,' said an official from MMRCL. An officer, who did not wish to be named, told HT that slush and water had entered the lifts and escalators, 'which are being cleaned and will be tested on Wednesday'. Pumps have been deployed 24*7 to clean the tracks. The officer also said that a permanent protection wall is being built around the damaged part of the station, which will take a couple of months to be ready. This will help prevent any ingress of water in future. Other stations of this route – Worli to Aarey JVLR – are protected, the officer added. While two entry-exit points are sufficient to service the station's existing passenger load, this incident has raised concerns about its safe operations, drainage systems and overall monsoon preparedness especially when MMRCL claimed earlier that the high profile ₹37,000-crore corridor was flood-proof. 'Passengers have no cause for worry on the underground metro corridor. Trains can be reversed on the southern end inside the tunnel, where water has not entered,' said the official. On Monday, close to 40,000 passengers travelled on Aarey JVLR-Worli route while on Tuesday over 45,000 passengers travelled on this line.
