Blue Line (Mumbai Metro)

Blue Line (Line 1) is a rapid transit metro line of the Mumbai Metro in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The 11.40 km (7.08 mi) line is fully elevated and consists of 12 stations from Versova to Ghatkopar. The line connects the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai. It was built at an estimated cost of ₹4,321 crore (US$510 million) and is operated by the Metro One Operation Pvt Ltd (MOOPL) on a 5-year contract. This special purpose vehicle, namely, Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (Mumbai Metro 1) was incorporated for the implementation of the project. Reliance Infrastructure holds 74% of the equity share capital of MMOPL, 26% is with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The Mumbai Metro 1 Blue Line started operations on 8 June 2014. It has the eighth highest passenger density of any metro line in the world. The Blue Line has the steepest curve of any metro line in India. There are a total of 64 curves on the line, with the steepest curve being 107 metres (351 ft).

The Government of Maharashtra through the MMRDA, in order to improve the traffic and transportation scenario in Mumbai and to cater to the future travel needs in the next 2-3 decades began exploring the viability of various alternative mass transit systems which are efficient, economically viable and environment friendly. In this context, a detailed feasibility study was carried out under Indo-German technical co-operation by entrusting the consultancy work to Tewet in association with DE-Consult GmbH and Tata Consultancy Services, during 1997–2000. The study recommended a mass transit corridor from Andheri to Ghatkopar as potentially bankable and economically viable, after examining a number of alternative corridors and alignments. This study was updated by the MMRDA in May 2004. Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) prepared the master plan for Mumbai Metro, wherein they recommended extending the Andheri-Ghatkopar section to Versova as part of the master plan and identified it as a priority corridor for implementation. The State Government declared the project as a "public vital infrastructure project" and designated the MMRDA as the Project Implementation Agency (PIA). The Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor was chosen as the first line in the master plan to be implemented.

The Mumbai Suburban Railway connects Mumbai from north to south. However, east–west connectivity is poor. The Versova-Ghatkopar route had no suburban rail link and was serviced by either BEST buses, autos or taxis. Blue Line provides east–west rail connectivity between the Eastern and Western suburbs of Mumbai. It facilitates interchange between the Mumbai Suburban Railway and Mumbai Metro at Andheri and Ghatkopar stations. The line significantly reduces the journey time from Versova to Ghatkopar from 90–120 minutes to 21 minutes, and bypasses about 45 traffic signals. It also provides rail connectivity to the MIDC and SEEPZ.

The concession agreement for the Versova–Andheri–Ghatkopar corridor was signed with Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), a joint venture company owned by Reliance Infrastructure (69%), Veolia Transport (5%) and the MMRDA (26%), in March 2007. SSRI Creative Infrastructure (Choksi Group) was the main technical contractor. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone on 21 June 2006. The work order for the project was issued on 21 January 2008, and work began on 8 February 2008. In September 2011, MMOPL officials claimed that trial runs on the first section of the corridor, the 3 km (1.9 mi) Versova–D.N. Nagar–Azad Nagar stretch, would start by February 2012, with a view to opening the stretch to commuters by March or April 2012. The deadline for completion of Blue line has been shifted several times. The following months have all, at some point of time, been announced as the deadline for completion of the project - July and September 2010, July 2011, March and November 2012, September 2013 (Phase 1: Versova to Airport Road)

and December 2013 (Phase 2: Airport Road to Ghatkopar), and 31 March 2014.

The MMOPL blamed the delay in construction on the MMRDA. RInfra officials said that the MMRDA had to acquire land along the route and provide right of way to the MMOPL by December 2008. As of August 2008, the MMRDA had only freed up 20% of required land. The lack of maps of underground utilities made the task more difficult. As per the contract between the MMOPL and the MMRDA, the MMRDA was supposed to hand over complete right of way to the MMOPL by mid-2008. The MMOPL eventually received nearly 100% of the land required for the project in December 2011, with the exceptions of the minaret of a mosque near Andheri station and a portion of the roof of Maheshwar Temple near Jagruti Nagar station that still needed to be demolished. Both impediments were resolved in October 2012 and the MMRDA finally obtained 100% right of way along the entire alignment of Blue Line.

By October 2011, the majority of the corridor's track-support pillars and girders had been laid, and the 12 individual stations were 70% complete, with most of the stations rising above platform level. However, land acquisition and right-of-way issues, along with problems with the construction of a Metro-related viaduct, delayed the line's predicted completion to summer 2012. In May 2012, the Indian Bank restructured the Mumbai Metro's ₹1.08 billion (US$13 million) loan account, citing the project's land use problems.