India’s financial hub is expected to undergo significant changes in 2025 as several infrastructure and transport projects are completed. By addressing problems like traffic jams and inadequate public transport, these improvements hope to improve Mumbai residents’ quality of life.
Rapid city growth and timely project completion are other promises the recently elected Mahayuti government made.
By May 2025, the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), India’s largest greenfield airport, will begin operations, reducing the number of passengers and air traffic load at the country’s second-busiest airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
Though it is planned to accommodate 90 million people and 2.6 million tonnes of cargo annually, this new airport will initially only have one terminal and is expected to handle 20 million passengers and 0.8 million tonnes of cargo yearly. The airport’s infrastructure includes two parallel runways, two full-length taxiways, and parking spaces for 350 aircraft.
To increase the capacity and effectiveness of Mumbai’s suburban rail system, which transports 6.5 to 7 million commuters per day, the Indian Railways is working on several projects. By March 2025, the sixth rail line between Kandivali and Borivali should be completed, adding to the five or six lines that already connect Bandra Terminus to Kandivali.
By the end of 2025, a second suburban rail route connecting Karjat and Panvel will be operational, greatly cutting down on the amount of time it takes to get from Karjat to CSMT. Additionally, the current fleet will be expanded with the introduction of a new AC local train by the Western and Central Railways.
With the addition of ten new train sets—one of which has already been delivered—the underutilised Mumbai Monorail is due to undergo a revitalisation. The monorail service will be improved by these new train sets, which will cut wait times from fifteen minutes to seven to ten.
These would strengthen the city’s transit system by linking South Mumbai with the eastern suburbs and integrating with future metro lines 3 and 4. Six Mumbai metro lines—2B, 3, 4, 4A, 7A, and 9—will begin partial and complete operation in 2025, connecting different areas of the city and relieving pressure on the suburban train system.
With the planned January 26 opening of the south-bound connecter connecting the Coastal Road to the Bandra-Worli Sea connection, the 2024 Coastal Road project will continue to advance in 2025. It will make the trip from Marine Drive to Bandra smooth.
Along the coastal route, 70 hectares of open spaces will be created as part of the project, including themed areas like Park Line, Green Shore, and Nature’s Cove.
Only 30% of phase 1 of the plan to concretise potholes on Mumbai roadways was finished by June 2024 due to delays. Phase 1 completion has been delayed until May 2025 due to obstacles like contractor problems and utility relocation.
In 2025, a number of bridges are expected to open. These include the Vikhroli ROB, which connects LBS Marg to the Eastern Express Highway, the Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge, and two rail-over bridges that link Worli Naka and Saat Rasta.
By FY 2025–2026, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) intends to increase its fleet of buses from the present 2,885 to 8,000, a substantial increase. The addition of air-conditioned and electric buses is the main component of this expansion. After a recent tragedy with a wet leasing bus, BEST is prioritising safety improvements and driver training in addition to growing the fleet.
Source: Mumbai Now
