December 18, 2025: The Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project, commonly referred to as the Thane Ring Metro, is a new circular metro corridor planned to significantly improve mobility within Thane city while easing pressure on its congested road network. Conceived as a standalone loop line, the project is distinct from other Mumbai Metropolitan Region metro corridors and focuses exclusively on enhancing intra-city connectivity.
Planned as a 29-kilometre loop, the metro line will start and terminate at Thane Junction, creating a continuous ring around western Thane. The alignment runs along the Ulhas river side, skirting the edge of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and links major residential and commercial zones such as Wagle Estate, Manpada, Waghbil, Balkum, Kolshet, Saket, Dongripada, Naupada, and Hiranandani Estate. In total, the corridor will have 22 stations, including 20 elevated stations and two underground stations located at the old and new Thane railway stations.
Key elevated stations are proposed at locations including Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagriha, Manpada, Dongripada, Vijay Nagari, Waghbil, and Waterfront. In the first phase, a six-kilometre stretch with six stations will be taken up for completion. Of the full alignment, nearly 26 kilometres will be elevated, with only the terminal stations near Thane railway station underground.
The Ring Metro aims to provide a high-capacity, fast, and reliable transport option within Thane, reduce traffic on major arterial roads, and seamlessly connect residential neighbourhoods with business districts. It will also integrate with Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Wadala–Kasarvadavali) and Line 5 (Thane–Bhiwandi–Kalyan), improving regional connectivity.
Estimated to cost around Rs 12,200 crore, the project will be funded through equal equity contributions from the Centre and the Maharashtra government, supplemented by asset monetisation and value-capture models. Maha Metro is the implementing agency, with civil works underway and major elevated viaduct contracts awarded. The operations depot is planned at Kasarvadavali over 18 hectares.
Approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024, the project is progressing through construction phases and is expected to become operational by 2029. Ridership projections estimate daily usage of about 6.47 lakh passengers by 2029, rising to nearly 8.72 lakh by 2045.
