Mumbai Metro 7A construction resumes, Airports Authority of India clearance awaited

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has resumed construction of Metro Line 7A, months after suspending work over a breach of height restrictions in the air funnel zone of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), even as it awaits final clearance from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), officials said.

A design error near Vile Parle East had put a 1-km elevated stretch of the 3.4-km corridor at risk of demolition because the height of the overhead wires exceeded the Airports Authority of India (AAI) limits by 2.5 metres.

The MMRDA is still awaiting a final decision from AAI regarding height clearance. However, it has decided to resume construction nonetheless, two MMRDA officials familiar with the metro line’s construction status told HT.

While the metro line’s height breaches the air funnel, it isn’t significant. A couple of buildings in the neighbourhood are slightly taller. In fact, the trees alongside are taller than the structure we are constructing,” one of the officials said.

An air funnel is a flight path, similar to road lanes, within which an aircraft is expected to remain airborne. There are strict height restrictions for buildings and other structures within an air funnel zone to ensure safe aircraft take-offs and landings.