Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Sunday said that the upcoming Metro Lines 4 and 4A will be a game-changer for commuters in Mumbai and Thane, helping ease traffic congestion and bringing the regions closer together, reported the PTI.
The new 35.20-kilometre corridors will link Wadala, Ghatkopar, and Mulund in Mumbai to Kasarvadavali and Gaimukh in Thane.
“The metro corridors will not just improve daily transport — they will also drive economic, social and environmental development across the region,” said Sarnaik.
He credited Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for pushing the long-delayed project forward, and added that efforts by the government have finally brought Thane’s dream of metro connectivity close to reality.
Sarnaik also announced that the foundation stone for the Gaimukh-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue stretch will be laid soon. This section is expected to decongest the busy Ghodbunder Road, a major traffic bottleneck.
Once fully operational, Metro Line 4 will connect the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai more efficiently. It will also serve key business districts, industrial areas, and educational institutions, significantly improving daily commutes for thousands.
Meanwhile, the work on the long-awaited carshed at Kanjurmarg for Mumbai Metro Pink Line 6 has finally begun. With the depot layout now being finalised, the entry is being shifted from the Kanjurmarg side to the Thane end, forcing realignment of tracks.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has started redesigning piers to suit the new plan. Line 6, the east-west corridor from Lokhandwala to Kanjurmarg, will connect Western and Eastern Express Highways.
“Earlier, the depot for Line 6 was planned adjoining the Eastern Express Highway at Kanjurmarg. Cantilever and portal piers were designed for that alignment. But due to land and technical constraints, the entry has now been shifted to the Thane side. Accordingly, the viaduct alignment has been modified and a few piers redesigned, while retaining existing foundations within design safety norms,” an official said.
Pink Line 6 runs 15.3 km from Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli (EEH), with 13 stations, most of them along the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR). The line is fully elevated and will offer interchanges with Line 2A at Adarsh Nagar, Line 7 at JVLR, Line 3 at Aarey Depot, and Line 4 at Gandhi Nagar.
The project has faced repeated setbacks — from land acquisition hurdles to the October 2023 scrapping of a key tender for five components, including rolling stock, due to compliance lapses. These delays have pushed public commissioning to at least 2026. With depot entry work now underway after the realignment, officials say the long-stalled project is expected to gather pace.
