A 35-km metro line is all set to connect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport
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The public transport system in India’s economic capital Mumbai is set to get a major boost with the completion of metro projects in the upcoming years. Among the upcoming projects is a proposed 35-km metro line set to connect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport. This Metro 8 corridor will serve as the first mass rapid transport (MRT) system between these two airports. This metro line will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 15,000 crores and is expected to have a daily ridership of 9 lakh passengers.
The planning for the airport metro line began before the construction of Navi Mumbai airport which is expected to become operational by early 2025.
“Commercial operations at the Navi Mumbai Airport are expected to begin from 2025. We may put in place the execution plan for the Metro 8 corridor now so that the line is ready when the airport traffic picks up.” a senior state government official told The Times of India.
The project will be undertaken by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA).
The Nodal agency for the construction of Navi Mumbai Airport, CIDCO will be responsible for the metro line construction in the Navi Mumbai area whereas MMRDA will be undertaking the project in the Mumbai region.
According to proposal, the metro route will be partially elevated and partially underground. The metro line is likely to operate underground between Andheri and the Eastern Expressway in Ghatkopar. From there, it will use the elevated route via the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road till it reaches Mankhurd.
Though, earlier plans were different from this. In October 2022, MMRDA requested CIDCO to prepare a detailed metro route from Mankhurd to Sagar Sangam. The idea was to connect the Metro 8 line between Mankhurd and Sagar Sangam on Navi Mumbai metro line 1 and from Belapur to Navi Mumbai Airport.
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The plan by MMRDA was to run only one metro line till Mankhurd and then merge with the CSMT-Panvel high-speed corridor that was proposed by Mumbai Railways Vikas Corporation (MVRC).
However, due to the railway ministry’s decision to withdraw the CSMT-Panvel high-speed corridor plan from Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3A for review, the plan had to be withdrawn.
