The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has inspected the upcoming Chembur Metro Station and nearby monorail infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen Mumbai’s integrated public transport network and prepare for the relaunch of the Mumbai Monorail.
Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee visited the project site on Thursday along with Mumbai Monorail Operations Company Limited (MMOCL) Managing Director Kanhuraj Bagate. During the inspection, officials reviewed construction progress at the Chembur Metro Station and assessed connectivity arrangements with the adjacent VN Purav Monorail Station.
According to officials, the exercise forms part of MMRDA’s broader strategy to improve multi-modal transport integration across Mumbai and create smoother interchanges between metro and monorail services.
The upcoming Chembur interchange is expected to become a major connectivity hub for commuters travelling across Mumbai’s eastern suburbs and South-Central Mumbai. Authorities stated that once operational, the integrated network could help reduce travel time and improve last-mile connectivity for a large number of daily commuters.
Officials added that the relaunch of the Mumbai Monorail, combined with metro connectivity improvements, is expected to strengthen reliance on public transport and improve overall urban mobility infrastructure in the city.
Alongside the inspection, MMRDA also announced an expansion of Metro Line 5, which will now extend to 34.21 km after the approval of the Metro Line 5A extension corridor.
According to the authority, the original 22.38-km Metro Line 5 project has been expanded through an additional 11.83-km extension linking Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar. The revised corridor is expected to become one of the largest metro networks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with an estimated project cost of Rs 18,130 crore.
MMRDA officials stated that Phase 1 of Metro Line 5, connecting Thane and Dhamankar Naka, is approaching the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) inspection stage.
The authority said the first phase of the metro corridor is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year, further expanding Mumbai’s rapidly growing metro network and improving regional connectivity across the metropolitan region.
Source: Mid-day
