Mumbai Metro 7A faces possible Rs 250 crore reconstruction over height error

Nearly 1 km of the elevated viaduct of Mumbai Metro Line 7A in Vile Parle East may have to be demolished and reconstructed after a height mismatch was found in the airport funnel zone.

The issue involves the height of the overhead electric equipment required to operate the Metro. The viaduct is around 2.5 metres higher than the clearance permitted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

If no technical solution is found, work estimated at around Rs 250 crore could have to be redone, further delaying the 3.4-km Metro Line 7A connecting Andheri East with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The line was originally scheduled to open in 2021 and has already missed several deadlines. The latest issue means the corridor is unlikely to open during the 2026-27 financial year, according to the report.

The AAI had issued no-objection certificates for the project when permissions were sought in 2022, but the additional height required for the overhead equipment was not factored into the design.

The height issue was flagged in 2025, after which construction on the affected stretch was stopped and revised permissions were sought from the AAI.

“While we are trying to strike a balance between Systra and AAI, technical issues cannot be solved through compromise. If we do not arrive at a solution, the viaduct may have to be reconstructed,” an MMRDA official said.

The civil consultant for the project is a consortium of Systra, CEG and SMCIPL. According to MMRDA, Systra has maintained that it was not responsible for the error, while AAI has so far not permitted the additional height required for the overhead equipment.

MMRDA data showed that by February 2026, the entire elevated viaduct had been completed, while 95% of the elevated ramp had also been constructed. Work on the Airport Colony station was substantially complete.

Metro Line 7A is planned as a 3.4-km extension of Metro Line 7 from Andheri East to the airport. It will connect with underground Metro Line 3 at the airport.

The line comprises around 2.5 km of underground alignment and 940 metres of elevated alignment, including the Airport Colony station, viaduct and ramp.