September 23, 2025: A successful trial run for the first phase of Metro Lines 4 and 4A was held in Thane on Monday, signalling a major boost for commuters in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik rode the Metro on a 4-km stretch between Gaimukh junction and Vijay Garden, highlighting the project’s potential to reduce travel time by 50-75% for an estimated 22 lakh daily commuters.
“Our efforts are to complete this route of the Metro line by the end of next year. Some work may spill into the following year, but once completed, this will be the largest Metro network in the country,” Fadnavis said. He added that a 45-acre depot at Mogarpada will serve Metro routes 4, 4A, 10, and 11, and that the project involves an investment of around Rs 16,000 crore.
The 35.20-kilometre Metro corridor will link Wadala, Ghatkopar, and Mulund in Mumbai with Kasarvadavali and Gaimukh in Thane, and will feature eight major interchanges for seamless connectivity. Fadnavis attributed previous delays and cost escalations to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government: “The previous government put the brakes on critical infrastructure projects, including the Metro. This has resulted in a delay of over two and a half years and increased costs.”
Deputy CM Shinde, who also chairs MMRDA, criticised earlier regimes for neglecting Thane’s metro needs. “During the tenure of then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Thane was given step-motherly treatment. Despite the growing population and need for connectivity, Thane’s metro demands were ignored. We faced several hurdles, even suspensions, but due to the persistent efforts of the Mahayuti government, the projects are now firmly back on track,” he said.
Following the trial run, MMRDA will now seek an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) certification, followed by mandatory approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), moving the project closer to full operational status.
Source: ET Realty
