Mumbai News: Metro 2B To Ply Above Monorail, Thanks To U-Girder

A crucial milestone was achieved during the wee hours of Saturday when a girder of Metro 2B line was launched over an operational Monorail line at Vashi Naka, Chembur. “The launching of U-girder (the structure on which the Metro will ply) was crucial as it had to be ensured that no damage or danger is posed to the operational Monorail line. There was no room for error,” said an official.

Metro 2B will connect Andheri West with Mandale in Mankhurd via Bandra, while the Monorail operates between Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle. Both the public transportation systems are under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA’s) fold. “As the U-girder had to be lifted and placed 5.6 metres above the Monorail’s guideway beam, a crane of 750 metric tonnes capacity was deployed (for the heavy lifting). For other U-girder launches, we deploy a crane having a capacity of 250-300 metric tonnes,” explained the MMRDA official.

The construction of Metro 2B began back in April 2018 and the authorities plan to make a section, stretching from Mandale to Diamond Garden, by mid-2024. This will be about a 5 km route having the stations of Mandale, Mankhurd, BSNL, Shivaji Chowk and Diamond Garden. At Shivaji Chowk, the line will cross the junction below the Eastern Freeway near the RK Studios.

The Monorail is on Ramkrishna Chemburkar Road, while Metro 2B is being constructed on V N Purav Road. Both the modes of transport mode intersect at Vashi Naka.

Key Details

Location: Vashi Naka

Workforce involved in girder launch: 35

No. of traffic warden present: 15

Gap between Monorail beam and Metro U-Girder: 5.6 metres

Girder's height from ground: 18 metres

Time taken for launch: 6 hours