A new 9.6-km metro corridor is being planned to improve connectivity between Thane, Kalwa, Mumbra, Diva and Dombivli, offering commuters an alternative to the heavily crowded suburban railway network. The proposed line is also expected to integrate three major transport systems — suburban rail, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor and the upcoming Metro Line 12.
The proposal gained momentum following a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in October last year, where the need for a metro connection to the proposed HSR station at Diva and surrounding transport infrastructure was discussed.
The planned alignment will run from Thane Junction through Kalwa and Mumbra to Diva/Mhatardi, followed by Sonarpada and Kopar in Dombivli. The section between Thane and Mumbra is proposed to be underground, while the stretch from Mumbra through Diva to Kopar is expected to run on an elevated alignment.
The initial plan was to terminate the corridor at Diva, but an extension to Kopar is currently being examined. The project is expected to have seven to eight stations, with an estimated cost of around Rs 4,500 crore.
Thane Junction is proposed as an interchange with the suburban railway network and the Thane Integral Ring Metro. At Mhatardi in Diva, passengers would be able to connect with the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail station. Another interchange at Sonarpada is expected to connect the proposed corridor with Metro Line 12, which will run between Kalyan and Taloja, improving access towards Taloja and Navi Mumbai.
A survey of the proposed alignment is currently underway and is expected to continue over the coming months. RITES is preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), which is expected to be completed by September. The DPR is likely to be ready by the end of 2026 or early 2027, while Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MAHA-Metro) is expected to undertake project execution.
The corridor is being planned to address congestion along the Thane-Mumbra-Diva-Dombivli stretch while creating a multimodal transport network around the upcoming HSR station.
“The Thane-Diva-Kopar stretch is one of the most congested in the railways; hence, a metro station is badly required along this route. And as Diva is set to have the High Speed Rail station, the goal is to make it a transport hub connecting all modes of transport,” said a MAHA-Metro official.
Source: The Indian Express
