Four new metro lines to partially open this year

Mumbai's metro expansion includes partial openings of lines 2B, 4, 4A, and 9 this year, enhancing public transit in the region.

Mumbai: The web of metro rail corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is slowly inching closer to being woven together, as four new lines will be partially opened this year. These include lines 2B, 4, 4A, and 9, spread across Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, Thane and Mira Road. Apart from these, phase two of metro line 3, from the Bandra Kurla Complex to Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli, is expected to open in March.

Four new metro lines to partially open this year

Nineteen metro stations across the four new lines, spanning 20.3 km, are almost ready, according to officials in the Maharashtra government. The longest of the four routes that will be opened is in Thane, part of the city’s first metro line. Citizens will be able to travel from Cadbury Junction to Gaimukh once lines 4 and 4A are opened, covering 10 stations.

Over in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, the first phase of line 2B will be operational from Mandale in Mankhurd to Diamond Garden in Chembur, covering a length of 5.3 km with five stations along the way. When the entire line is complete, it will go up to DN Nagar in Andheri West and connect to line 2A, which is operational and connects DN Nagar to Dahisar. Line 2B will also connect to the Central Railway’s suburban line at Kurla and metro line 8, connecting the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports.

Metro line 9, which will connect Mira Road and Bhayandar, will also be partly ready this year on the 4.5 km-long Dahisar-Kashigaon route, with four stations. This will be an extension to the existing line 7 (Gundavali to Dahisar). In the future, it will also connect to Line 10 (Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk at Mira Road).

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been asked to expedite the construction work of these four metro corridors, state government officials said. Interestingly, none of these corridors will have car depots ready in time for their partial opening.

“On Lines 4 and 4A, train operations have been planned by providing inspection pits along the alignment after the terminal station at Gaimukh, as depot land is unavailable,” said a senior state government official. “They have been asked to maximise the use of existing viaducts and station infrastructure while depots are under construction.”

Transport experts welcomed the development, saying such innovation is required for urban transit planning in a city like Mumbai. “I see these metro corridors as branch routes that will be mainly used by locals residing in the areas there, while Metro 3 is the trunk route. Once these metro corridors are fully operational, it will make a huge difference.”

AV Shenoy, a member of the Mumbai Mobility Forum, said the partial opening of the four new lines will augment public transportation. “The authorities should ensure that travel on these metro lines is made affordable and the issue of last mile connectivity is addressed,” he said.