CM Fadnavis said the line will provide relief to daily commuters, reduce travel time between Thane and Mumbai by 50-75 per cent, and ease traffic congestion.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday accused his predecessor, Uddhav Thackeray, of delaying Mumbai’s Metro projects by over two years. Fadnavis, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, flagged off the first trial run of Metro Line 4 in Thane. Highlighting the critical role of the Metro network in strengthening Mumbai’s infrastructure, the chief minister announced that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) aims to make the first phase of Metro Line 4 operational by December 2025.
“Because of the Thackeray government, the metro projects in Mumbai were delayed for three years. Had the Thackeray government not delayed the projects, we would have completed the next phases by now. However, I want to assure people that by next year we will finish the majority of metro works,” Fadnavis said.
The first phase of Line 4 includes 10 stations in Thane – Cadbury Junction, Majiwada, Kapurbawdi, Manpada, Tikuji-Ni-Wadi, Dongripada, Vijay garden, Kasarvadavli, Gowniwada, and Gaimukh. This is part of 35.20-kilometre Metro Lines 4 and 4A which will connect Wadala, Ghatkopar and Mulund (via LBS Marg) in Mumbai to Gaimukh in Thane.
CM Fadnavis said the line will provide relief to daily commuters, reduce travel time between Thane and Mumbai by 50-75 per cent, and ease traffic congestion. He said, “This Metro line is extremely important for Thane. Metro Line 4 is 32 kilometers long, while Line 4A adds another 2.88 kilometers, making a total of 35 kilometers with 32 stations. An investment of nearly Rs 16,000 crore is being made for this…Our efforts are to complete this route of the Metro line by the end of 2026. Some work may spill into 2027, but once completed, this will be the largest Metro network in the country.”
Once connected with upcoming metro lines – Line 11 from Wadala to CSMT, Line 4A from Kasarvadavli to Gaimukh, proposed line 10 from Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk – a daily ridership of around 21.62 lakh commuters is expected.
Hailing the development, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said, “This metro line will provide a new direction for fast, safe, and modern travel to millions of passengers traveling between Thane and Wadala. This is a historic milestone in the development journey of Mumbai and Thane, and this metro service will soon commence for the convenience of the general public.”
