Mumbai: Metro 7A Viaduct Design Error Puts Rs 250 Crore Project At Risk of Demolition

Mumbai, 28th August 2026: A planning error on Mumbai Metro Line 7A could force the demolition and reconstruction of nearly 1 km of an elevated viaduct in Vile Parle East, putting around ₹250 crore worth of work at risk and further delaying the airport-bound corridor.

The issue has emerged around the Airport Colony station, where the overhead electrification (OHE) equipment required to operate the metro is around 2.5 metres higher than the height permitted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the airport funnel zone. The mismatch was flagged in 2025, after substantial civil work had already been completed, following which construction on the affected stretch was halted.

According to MMRDA officials, AAI had issued no-objection certificates when permissions were sought in 2022, but the additional height requirement for the OHE was not factored into the design. The general consultant for the project is the SYSTRA-CEG-SMCIPL consortium, with MMRDA stating that SYSTRA maintains it was not responsible for the error. The authority is currently seeking a technical solution and revised permissions from AAI.

AAI’s height-clearance system requires structures around airports to comply with permissible elevation limits, with its Mumbai zoning map also specifying permissible top elevations for different areas.

Metro Line 7A is a 3.4-km extension of Metro Line 7 from Andheri East to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The corridor comprises an elevated section of around 940 metres and an underground section of about 2.5 km, with Airport Colony as the elevated station and CSMIA as the underground station.

The project has already faced multiple delays. MMRDA’s February 2026 progress update showed the elevated viaduct’s major civil components at 100% completion, while its April 2025 update had put overall Line 7A work at 59% completion.

If a technical solution is not found, MMRDA officials have indicated that the affected viaduct may have to be reconstructed. This could push the project beyond its expected 2026-27 opening and delay a key connection between Mumbai’s northern suburbs, the airport and the wider Metro network.