January 28, 2026: The Maharashtra Cabinet Infrastructure Committee has approved a major Metro rail project aimed at directly connecting Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. The 35-km Metro Line 8 project, cleared on Tuesday (January 27, 2026), is estimated to cost Rs 22,862 crore and is expected to significantly improve regional connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
According to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office, the proposed corridor will comprise 20 stations, of which six will be underground and 14 elevated. Land acquisition for the project will span 30.7 hectares and is projected to cost ₹388 crore. The infrastructure committee, a high-powered ministerial body, granted its approval after reviewing the alignment, cost estimates, and implementation timeline.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed that all land acquisition processes and statutory approvals for the Metro corridor be completed within six months. He further instructed that construction should be wrapped up within three years from the date approvals are granted, underscoring the government’s push for time-bound infrastructure delivery.
Of the total 35-km stretch, 9.25 km will run underground from Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 to Ghatkopar East. The remaining 24.63 km will be elevated, extending from Ghatkopar West to Navi Mumbai Airport Terminal 2. Once operational, the line is expected to provide seamless airport-to-airport connectivity while easing pressure on road networks and reducing travel time.
Beyond the Metro project, the committee also reviewed other key infrastructure initiatives. The Chief Minister asked concerned departments to expedite the extension of the Samruddhi Expressway on the Nagpur–Gondia and Bhandara–Gadchiroli routes to avoid delays.
In view of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, the panel approved the 66.15-km Nashik city ring road project for Rs 3,954 crore. Additionally, it cleared the upgradation of the 85.76-km Navegaon More–Konsari–Mulchera–Hedri–Surjagad highway in Gadchiroli district into a four-lane cement concrete road to support mineral transportation and regional development.
