Mumbai, Jul 6 (IANS): The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has said that it has erected 3,603 out of 4,929 pillars -- or 73 per cent of the work -- on the upcoming 6 new Mumbai Metro lines in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), here on Thursday. 

These include the Metro 2B (D.N. Nagar-Mandale) 614 out of 1,109 pillars or 50.70 per cent; Metro 4 and 4A (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) 973 out of 1,476 and 143 out of 221 respectively, or 55 per cent completion.

Metro 5 Phase I (Thane-Bhiwandi) 440 out of 464 pillars or 78.40 per cent done; Metro 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli) 657 out of 768 or 70.75 per cent completed; and Metro 9 (Dahisar-Mira Bhayander) 776 out of 900 or 61.28 per cent done.

This was despite the major challenges of construction activities in a congested city with heavy traffic and care was taken to do most activities during the night time.

During the construction process, the focus was on the casting and erection of heavy-weight precast elements, such as pier caps, U-girders, and I-girders which are produced at different casting yards, transported to the location during the night time.

There, they are erected at specific sites using cranes with capacities ranging from 350 MT to 500 MT.

"We are prioritising the completion of all Mumbai Metro corridors as quickly as possible. The recently inaugurated Metro Lines 2A and 7 are providing relief to lakhs of commuters, contributing to reduced highway traffic plus air and noise pollution," said MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee.

He said that the MMRDA is in the process of appointing a consultant to obtain various permissions for the Metro 10 between Gaimukh and Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road in Thane district), plus a general consultant for the tendering process and other formalities for the planned Metro Line 12 (Kalyan-Taloja, in Thane district).