Mumbai, May 26 (IANS): Spelling cheers for Mumbaikars, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed the overhead electrification work on two suburban metro lines where it will start test runs from Monday (May 31), an official said here on Wednesday.

The 16.50 km-long Metro 7 (Dahisar East-Andheri East) and the 18.50 km-long Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) have been electrified successfully for the upcoming trial runs by trains on both the lines, the official told IANS, declining to be identified.

For this, the MMRDA will deploy the sleek new 'Made in India' rakes manufactured by BEML and delivered for the Mumbai Metro project in January this year.

The BEML also supplied the Catenary Maintenance Vehicles for carrying out the crucial electrification work as the other infrastructure development activities like station buildings, elevators, escalators are also proceeding at a fast pace, taking advantage of the low public movement during the lockdown.

The two lines, which will slash the travel time by around two-third compared to the existing duration of the road journey, are expected to be operational by October this year, proving a huge relief to the poeple of Mumbai.

Presently, the country's commercial capital has a solitary Mumbai Metro One running 11.40 km between Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar, and the other Metro lines are in different stages of construction across the city, including some running partly or fully underground.