Mumbai, Nov 11 (IANS): In a first for India, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) will lay vibration-absorbing tracks on the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Line 3, an official said here on Wednesday.

The MMRCL has started trial production of the High Vibration Attenuation Booted Twin Sleeper Blocks (HVABTSB) to lay tracks with the help of a machine from Sonneville AG, Switzerland.

"This type of tracks, being used for the first time in India will absorb vibrations upto 22 Vibration Decibels (Vdb), over and above the vibrations that absorbed by a normal metro tracks," said MMRCL Director (Projects). S. K. Gupta.

It is considered ideal for a congested city like Mumbai where there are many heritage structures, old buildings, hospitals, schools, colleges, studios and densely populated residential colonies, etc. which can get affected by vibrations.

A total of two machines with their state-of-the-art technology will together produce 12,000 of such sleeper blocks at the MMRCL's facility set up in Wadala, Gupta said.

For the Mumbai Metro Line 3, there will be a need for around 2,01,600 sleeper blocks to be laid on the entire 33.50 kms long underground corridor.

"The boots are the most crucial parts of tracks in ensuring lesser vibrations and smoother ride for the commuters. To ensure performance, production is being supervised by Swiss experts from Sonneville AG," Gupta added.

Estimated to cost a little over Rs.23,000-crore, the Mumbai Metro Line 3 will have 27 underground stations en route, and is expected to be operational sometime in 2021, passing below railway stations, temples, the Dharavi slums, Mithi River, Mahim Creek, Mumbai Airport, the Aarey Colony forests, etc.

To a query whether similar vibration-absorbing tracks shall be laid for the other upcoming Mumbai Metro lines, an official said it would depend on the concerned contractors who are building those corridors.