Though the first phase of the Mumbai Metro, connecting Versova to Ghatkopar in suburban Mumbai, is ready, the route fare has still not been fixed by the project developers.

Following the final safety clearance from the Chief Metro Railway Commissioner, the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL) can open the line for commercial use.

Work on the line, which began in 2006, was running behind schedule by three years. The project is being developed jointly by MMOPL, an Anil Ambani group company, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

AK Mishra, Chief Executive Officer of MMOPL, told media persons on Wednesday that the fare issue was a sensitive matter, and that the board of MMOPL had not yet taken a decision on it. The operational costs of the project had shot up by 125 per cent because of the delay, he added.

In 2006, the project cost was estimated at ₹2,360 crore, but it has escalated to ₹4,291 crore. Getting clearances from the Railway authorities and securing right-of-way in the congested suburban areas of Mumbai were responsible for the delay, officials said.

The Versova-Ghatkopar metro line will have 12 stations and will operate form 5.30 am till midnight, with a train running every four minutes during peak hours and seven minutes during non-peak hours.

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