Mumbai: Four years on, Yellow Line Metro 2B sees the light of day

The BSNL Metro station on the Yellow Line Mumbai Metro 2B. PIC/SAHIL PEDNEKAR

The much-delayed Yellow Line Mumbai Metro 2B crossed a milestone on Sunday - four years after it was slated to be operational - when a 5.4-km stretch of the line between Diamond Garden in Chembur and Mandale in Mankhurd was live-charged. This means the overhead wires are now considered 'live'. Officials said the first train trials on the line will begin on April 16.

The date coincides with the day trains first ran in Mumbai 172 years ago, an event regarded as the foundation day of Indian Railways. This will be the first new Metro to ply in the eastern suburbs in the past ten years after the Blue Line 1 had started operations from Ghatkopar. The other three lines cater to the western suburbs. Though the deadline for beginning operations had been given as December 2025, sources said the early beginning of train trial was pushed by Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, who has been reviewing the progress of all lines closely.

Metro line work underway in Mankhurd, where the first train sets for the 2B line arrived in 2023

Sources said the line here had been heavily delayed due to rebidding of the systems tender and now a stretch of five stations - Diamond Garden, Shivaji Chowk, BSNL Metro, Mankhurd and Mandale Metro - are finally looking up and ready for the run. The line also crosses the Mumbai Monorail at a point in Chembur.

The trains

The significant development will ease local connectivity between Mankhurd and Chembur. The Yellow Line Metro 2B has high-end six-coach train sets from Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). mid-day, on November 11, 2023, was the first to report the arrival of the first train sets at Mandale depot in Mankhurd.

Indigenously manufactured, the passenger train sets have all-steel integral rail coaches, with an energy-friendly regenerative braking system. The trains have four doors on each side and are also designed to allow commuters to travel with bicycles. It has amenities such as mobile charging points, an IP-based announcement system and state-of-the-art surveillance systems.

The trials

The basic integration train trials involve various checks, including those of rolling stock, signalling systems and track traction. Following this, there are also loaded trials which simulate operational conditions by loading the train with simulated passenger weight (with gunny bags), allowing for assessment of the train's behaviour under load. Once all the trials are complete, a final trial is conducted under the supervision of the commissioner of Metro Railway Safety after which the train service is thrown open to the public.

Once this stretch is ready, the 18.2-km phase two stretch with 14 stations from Diamond Garden in Chembur to DN Nagar in Andheri, where it meets Yellow Line 2A, is expected to be operational by December 2026.

Commuter Speak

Arindam Mahapatra, Commuter said, "It's of no use to me as the line doesn't currently connect to BKC. It would be helpful for those switching from VN Purav Marg to Mankhurd and vice versa. The real potential of this line will be realised once it connects to BKC at least so one can avoid the rush at Kurla."

Rajiv Ganatra, commuter said, "I don't know how much of local trains' burden will be eased by opening this stretch, but those who work in areas along the line can take the Metro. It has become difficult to enter local trains at Mankhurd station as it is extremely crowded nowadays"

Five stations of first phase

Diamond Garden
Shivaji Chowk
BSNL Metro
Mankhurd
Mandale Metro