Safety nod: Phase 1 of Mumbai Metro Line 9 could start in first week of Feb

Mumbai: The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) has given the go-ahead for opening Phase 1 of Metro Line 9 — the 4.5-km Dahisar to Kashigaon stretch — and plans are afoot to throw it open along with Phase 1 of Metro Line 2B (Mandale to Diamond Garden) on the same day in the first week of Feb, officials said.Currently, Mumbai has four Metro corridors in operation: Line 2A and Line 7 running on the Dahisar– Gundavali–Andheri West network; Line 1 between Versova–Andheri–Ghatkopar; and Line 3 (Aqua Line) between Aarey JVLR and Cuffe Parade. The proposed dual launch is expected to add two more Metro links to this network.Officials said Phase 1 of Metro 2B spans 5.3 km between Diamond Garden and Mandale and has already received CMRS approval, clearing a key statutory hurdle ahead of passenger operations. Phase I of Line 2B, once commissioned, will become the first Metro link for residents in the eastern-most suburbs such as Chembur, which currently has Mono rail access to the island city.Metro Line 9's Phase 1 safety clearance has paved the way for its commissioning. Line 9 is a key north-western corridor planned to link Dahisar East and Mira-Bhayander via Kashigaon and Mira Road, and is expected to feed Metro Line 7, already operational between Dahisar East and Gundavali in Andheri East.The Diamond Garden– Mandale stretch had earlier been expected to open sooner, but officials cited technical reasons and later the civic code of conduct as factors that pushed the timeline.