Transforming Commuting: Mumbai Metro Lines 4 & 5 and Thane Metro

Infrastructure Development in Thane & Suburbs

Thane has seen a series of infrastructure improvements in recent years, bridging gaps between the city and several other significant places in Mumbai and thereby improving connectivity. Today, Thane has emerged as one of the popular options in Mumbai Suburbs for those seeking the intimacy of city living without having to deal with the chaos of the daily commute. 

Thane provides inhabitants with cosmopolitan lives, complete with retail malls, educational institutions, restaurants, hospitals, and other amenities, as well as amusement parks, botanical gardens, and exquisite riverside promenades. Thane has a number of beautiful lakes and water bodies and important attractions like Kelwa Beach, Masunda Lake, Kanheri Caves, Sanjay Gandhi Park, Kopileshwar Temple, and many more. Thane has good connectivity with the National Highways 3 and 4 as well as the National Highway 8, the Eastern Freeway, the SCLR, the Ghodbunder Road, the Mumbai-Nashik Highway, the Thane-Belapur Road, and the JVLR. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is also easily accessible. The Trans-Harbour, Central, and Thane-Panvel railway lines provide excellent train connectivity. Thane is also 27 kilometres from the airport. The City of Lakes, Thane, is unquestionably a strong option for both investors and residents in the current scenario, especially now that metro connectivity has been established for the city.

Thane-Wadala Metro and Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Metro Lines

Metro Line 4 in Thane spans 32.32 km from Wadala to Kasarvadavli and comprises 32 stations. It will connect to existing infrastructure links such as the Eastern Expressway, the Central Railway, the Monorail, the ongoing Metro Line 2B (DN Nagar to Mandale), the proposed Metro Line 5 (Thane to Kalyan), the Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) and the Metro Line 8 (Wadala to General Post Office). This entire route would provide train access to rapidly expanding and developing micro-markets like Wadala and Thane. The Metro will make these marketplaces more accessible and appealing to prospective residents and commuters by cutting current journey time in half. Metro Line 5 would connect the rapidly developing Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan corridor with an effective mass transportation system. This elevated section will be 24.9 kilometres long and shall include 17 stations. By 2031, it hopes and aims to have 3.25 lakh daily riders. The proposed Metro line, which would connect Wadala to Kasarvadavli via Ghatkopar and Mulund, will have an interchange facility at Kapurbawdi. 

The Metro line, once operational, shall benefit commuters from Mumbai and Thane. Along with Line 6, this project shall contribute to the development of a circular Metro route in Thane and its integration into the Mumbai Metro network. The Metro link will also help the formation of growth centres like Nilje, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan, resulting in increased demand for various amenities and overall development in these outlying areas. Metro Lines 4 (Kasarvadavli to Wada-la), 4A (Kasarvadavli to Gaimukh), and 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) are all scheduled and expected to be accomplished by 2025. In addition, twin tunnels connecting Borivali and Thane by road are expected to take up to five years from now. These tunnels will connect Thane’s Tikuji-ni-Wadi to the Western Expressway near Borivali. These tunnels are expected to stimulate the real estate and commercial development in Borivali, Ghod-bunder Road, Thane City, and Dahisar as the travel time between Thane and Borivali shall be reduced to 15 minutes from the current journey and commute time of nearly an hour.

Other major projects

The Inland Water Transport System will connect Vasai-Virar and Kalyan to Mumbai city and suburbs via Thane. There are also projects like Alibaug-Virar Multimodal Corridor, which will divert heavy truck traffic away from Thane, while the Balkum-Ghodbunder Coastal Road and bridges spanning the Ulhas River will help Thane grow through developments in locations that are presently being viewed as future expansion areas- the ‘New Thane’. All of these projects will have a positive impact on Thane’s development. According to the information provided by officials, the Inland Water Transport System would be completed around a year’s time. The Inland Water Transport System will enable smooth and speedier connectivity between Vasai-Virar and Kalyan via Thane, resulting in increased commercial activity and employment opportunities. 

The connections to the road parallel to Ghodbunder Road shall link and connect Gaimukh to Paygaon and Kasarvadavli to Kharbao. These projects will take some time to complete because they are currently in the planning stages. Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS)-2 is also being implemented, with completion expected this year. As these projects are spaced across a long and lengthy corridor, the advantages are expected to spread and diffused across an extensive influence area. The connectors to the road parallel to Ghodbunder Road will help markets on the Vasai-Bhiwandi Road, which will have greater connectivity with Thane and Mumbai. Paygaon and Kharbao are examples of such places. The Thane East SATIS-2 projects shall predominantly help commuters who use public transportation, such as buses and local trains from the Eastern Express Highway, Ghodbunder Road, and beyond.

Residents in Mumbai’s periphery and suburbs are looking for affordable amenities such as sustainable transportation, housing, and other conveniences. Commuters also favour locations that are expanding in an orderly and progressive manner. The construction of flyovers at Mumbra Bypass Junction, Shil Kalyan Phata, Shil Phata, and Kalyan Phata Junction, as well as the widening of the highway and construction of an underpass at Kalyan Phata, which is related to projects such as Thane’s Coastal Road, will allow residents in these areas to choose facilities on Thane’s outskirts. Additionally, an improved connection will help to alleviate traffic congestion. It will also generate new jobs and promote overall growth in the region.

Thane Metro

Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has abandoned its plan to establish a light rail transit system in the city in favour of constructing a traditional Thane metro rail system. During its general body meeting in mid-September 2021, the TMC approved and acknowledged a new proposal. Although the 32.32-kilometre-long elevated line of the Mumbai Metro’s Line-4 connects Kasarvadavali near Thane in the north MMR to Wadala in the south, the TMC shall additionally develop an internal metro network to connect other parts of the city. The TMC formerly planned and proposed an internal metro to connect several parts of Thane to Mumbai Metro Line-4, but on the recommendation of the central government, it decided to establish a light rail transit system instead. The idea was made while keeping the cost-effectiveness of the Thane Metro project in view.

Considering Thane’s expanding demographics and burgeoning population, the TMC believes that a traditional metro system would be more appropriate than light rail transit. Moreover, connecting a light rail transportation system to a conventional metro line would not be possible. As a result, the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited, or Maha Metro, has proposed building a metro station in Thane with one circular line and 22 stations. The Thane metro line will be a 29-kilometre-long light rail transit (LRT) system. The Thane metro project was originally intended to be a regular or heavy metro line, but due to financial difficulties, the project was redesigned as a light rail transit or a metro line in early 2020.

Thane metro station construction work commenced in 2017. The construction of Metro Line 5 started in December, whereas the development of Metro Line 4 began in October of the same year. Both metro lines 4 and 5 need to first overcome a number of obstacles and challenges. Metro Line 4 has a lot of ground to make up in order to meet the deadline. One of the reasons for the delay has been the approval of the Mogharpada area and plot, which has been planned to be used for the metro car shed. 

The construction of metro line 5 has been divided into two phases: Phase 1 covers the Thane-Bhiwandi route, while Phase 2 covers the Bhiwandi-Kalyan route. The second phase is a little more complicated since its construction will have an impact on a number of establishments and businesses. Therefore, an alternative route seemed to be necessitated. The proposal took the shape of a 3-kilometre underground route. The alternative path is expected to save 735 of the total 1,597 structures that were potentially on the verge of being destroyed and affected. The second phase, which shall include rehabilitation and demolition, is yet to commence. Lines 4 and 5 of the Mumbai Metro will intersect and cross each other near Kapurwadi. The station will connect both lines. Thane Municipal Corporation, TMC, approved the Thane Metrolite’s Detailed Project Report in December 2019, but it is now on hold for clearance from the State government. The Thane metro is scheduled to become operational in approximately five years.

Proposed metro station in Thane

Thane’s metro map is similar to Noida’s Aqua Line and Gurgaon’s Rapid Metro in that the metro stations will be located within the city. The metro will connect to Line 4 at Dongripada and Line 5 at Majiwada junction, with 22 stations along its route and course. In the coming years, the proposed and projected route has been planned to connect the city’s age-old, crowded and congested areas with the newly developed and constructed regions. New Thane, Rayla Devi, Wagale Square, Lokmanya Nagar bus depot, Shivaji Nagar, Nilkanth Terminal, Gandhi Nagar, Ghanekar Theatre, Manpada (Ghodbunder road), Dongripada, Vijay Nagari, Waghbil, Water Front, Patlipada, Azadnagar bus station, Manoranjan Nagar, Kolshet, Balkum, Rabodi, Shivaji Chowk and Thane station is the route of metro proposed. 

The Thane Metro is expected to carry around 5.8 lakh commuters per day, according to Thane Municipal Corporation. During peak hours, about 23,000 passengers are expected to ride. Metro Lines 2A and 7 began partial service on April 2, 2020. The two metro lines cover a 20-kilometre stretch from Dhanukarwadi to Aarey. Dhanukarwadi is served by Metro Line 2A, which connects to Aarey through Metro Line 7. The fare is calculated based on the number of km travelled. However, there are currently no monthly passes available for the commuters. 

Project Development & Timeline

• December 2018: Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) approved the DPR.
• January 2019: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted to Maharashtra Government by Thane Municipal Corporation.
• March 2019: The DPR approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet.
• December 2020: Revised DPR for Metrolite approved by the Thane Municipal Corporation.
• September 2021: The Metrolite plan scrapped, and the revised regular Metro DPR approved by TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation).

Key Information

• Operational: 0 km
• Under Construction: 0 km
• Approved: 0 km
• Proposed: 29 km
• Total Estimated Cost: Rs. 7165 crore
• Thane Metrolite Deadline: 2025

System Specifications

• Track Gauge: Standard Gauge – 1435 mm
• Electrification: 25 kV, 50 Hz AC OHE
• Signalling: Communications-based train control (CBTC)
• Total Capacity: 300-425 passengers (3 coach train)
• Thane Metrolite Route Information
• Length: 29 km
• Type: Elevated (primarily) and Underground (2-3 km)
• Number of Stops/Stations: 22
• Stations: Raila Devi, Wagle Circle, Lokmanya Nagar Bus Depot, Shivaji Nagar, Neelkanth Terminal, Gandhi Nagar, Kolshet Industrial Area, Manpada, Dongripada, Vijaynagar, Waghbil, Waterfront, Patlipada, Azad Nagar Bus Stop, Manorma Nagar, Balkum Naka, Balkum Pada, Rabodi, Shivaji Chowk, Thane Junction (underground) and New Thane (underground).

Metro Line 4 & 5

Metro Line 4

The Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Wadala – Kasaravadavali) metro line is 32.32 km long and has 32 stations from Wadala to Kasaravadavali. The line will connect the Eastern Express Highway, Central Railway, Mono Rail, Metro Line 2B (D N Nagar to Mandale), as well as the proposed Metro Line 5 (Thane to Kalyan), Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli), Line 8 (Wadala to General Post Office) and Line 11 (Wadala to CSMT). On September 27, 2016, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the Metro Line 4 corridor project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the project on December 24, 2016.

The MMRDA has plans to construct metro car depots, one at Owala village in Thane and the other at Vikhroli. MMRDA is responsible for the entire Metro Line 4 project.

– Kasarvadavali, Vijay Garden, Dongari Pada, Tikuji-Ni-Wadi, Manpada, Kapurbawdi, Majiwada, Cadbury Junction, Mahapalika Marg, RTO Thane, Thane Teen Haath Naka, Mulund Naka, Mulund Fire Station, Sonapur, Shangrila, Bhandup Metro, Bhandup Mahapalika, Naval Housing, Kanjur Marg (Gandhi Nagar), Surya Nagar, Vikhroli Metro, Godrej Company, Shreyes Cinema, Lakshmi Nagar, Pant Nagar, Garodia Nagar, Amar Mahal Junction, Siddharth Colony, Suman Nagar, Anik Nagar Bus Depot, Wadala TT, Bhakti Park Metro are the thirty-two stations covered under the Metro Line 4 corridor plan. At Kasarvadavali Station, commuters can connect to Metro Line 4A and Metro Line 10, Metro Line 5 at Kapurbawdi Station, Metro Line 6 at Kanjur Marg (Gandhi Nagar) Station and Metro Line 2B at Amar Mahal Junction Station. The corridor is expected to cut the current travel time by fifty to seventy-five per cent, depending on road conditions. Construction on the corridor began in June 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in 2023. 

Metro Line 5:

Mumbai Metro Line 5, also referred to as the Orange Line is a 24.90 km elevated line that connects the suburbs of Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan. The line will have 17 stations in total and will be built in two parts. It will also link the current Metro Line 4 (Wadala to Kasarvadavali), the proposed Metro Line 12 (Kalyan to Taloja), and the existing Central Railway. This will greatly improve rail-based access to commercial and government entities, as well as geographical landmarks, in these locations. Work on Phase 1 from Thane to Bhiwandi is now underway. The Maharashtra government cabinet approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Orange Line in October 2017 for Rs 8,416 crore. In December 2018, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for the project. The Orange Line is scheduled to open in 2025, featuring a number of interchanges and will connect to other metro lines such as the Green Line-4 at Kapurbawdi and the Navi Mumbai Line-1 at Taloja, as well as bus and suburban rail services all through its route.

Metro Line 5 will considerably reduce existing travel times, providing passengers with a more convenient and efficient form of transportation once completed. Commuters are expected to save 50% to 75% on travel time. The Orange Line is expected to give much-needed respite to inhabitants of Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan, who currently rely on buses and local trains for travel to Mumbai.

The Urban Development Department of the Maharashtra government has approved the construction of a 3-kilometre underground stretch as part of the second phase of Mumbai Metro Line 5, which connects Thane to Kalyan through Bhiwandi.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the city’s infrastructure development agency, has put on hold the work on the underground section between Dhamankar Naka and Temghar, which is part of the 11.8-kilometre-long second phase from Bhiwandi to Kalyan. Temghar is part of the second phase of the 11.8-kilometre-long route connecting Bhiwandi and Kalyan. The MMRDA stated that the intention was to remove the 3 km stretch underground since restoration would be difficult due to the number of structures in the vicinity. According to officials, more than seventy per cent of the work on the elevated 12.7 km route connecting Thane and Bhiwandi had been completed under Phase 1.

Salient features of Metro Lines 4 and 5

Metro 4

Project cost: Rs. 14,549 Cr

Ridership in 2031: 12.13 lakh

Metro 5

Project cost: Rs. 8,416.51 Cr

Ridership in 2031: 3.025 lakh

With the ongoing Metro Line 4 work being delayed for the past four years, the MMRDA has decided to change some of the previous subcontractors to expedite the construction work; the two lines connecting Thane to different cities will have a combined estimated ridership of over 15 lakh commuters by 2031. As per authorities, the work on Metro Line 4, which would connect Wadala in Central Mumbai to Gaimukh in Thane and Line 5, that will connect Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan, will not be completed until 2025. By 2031, the combined ridership of the two lines is expected to exceed 15 lakhs. The first phase of Line 5 is currently under construction. Metro Line 4 construction began in October 2018, while construction on Line 5 started in December 2017.

Both routes had been littered with a number of difficulties. Metro Line 4 is currently running much behind schedule. The finalisation of the Mogharpada plot for the Metro car shed had been one of the principal reasons for the delay. The Mogharpada plot is owned by the government with no CRZ restrictions. Mogharpada is inhabited by approximately 4,000 people and 1,200 families. Around 200 farmers claim that, although the land is owned by the government, it was leased to them for agriculture in 1960. They have raised certain demands before the authorities in order to secure and obtain the land.

In Kapurbawdi, Metro Lines 4 and 5 will intersect. A station will be built here to connect both lines. According to MMRDA, the construction work of Metro Line 4 is running behind schedule, whereas Metro Line 5’s first phase is on time. The bulk of the pillar construction work for Metro Line 4 has been completed, and work on the stations is underway. Although girders have been installed at multiple places, the construction on this route (Metro Line 4) is well behind schedule. Around thirty per cent of Metro Line 5’s phase 1 work has been completed. Metro Line 5 is divided into two phases: Phase 1 comprises the route from Thane to Bhiwandi, and Phase 2 includes the route from Bhiwandi to Kalyan. A lot of institutions and establishments are expected to be impacted during the second phase. As a result, a new 3km underground route has been planned and designed, which shall protect and safeguard more than seven hundred of nearly sixteen hundred structures that had been formerly envisaged to be affected. The repair and demolition of establishments in Phase 2 is yet to begin.

These two Metro lines are critical for reducing the pressure on trains, as a majority of people from Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan commute to Mumbai for work. In addition, with construction work going on in most parts of the city, regular commuters suffer and face multiple traffic-related problems. If the construction is delayed further, it might lead to various troubles during the monsoon.

Summary

The Mumbai Metro is expanding, with the completion of the MMR’s first metro viaduct that shall cross a water body. The final span of the 550-meter-long Kasheli Creek Metro viaduct was recently completed as part of Phase I of Mumbai Metro Line 5, which connects Thane to Kalyan through Bhiwandi. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the project developer for Metro Line 5.

The Thane-Kalyan Line’s Phase 1 will be elevated. Phase 2 is still in the planning stage. The line will also connect to Metro Line 4, which runs from Wadala to Kasarvadavli. The Kasheli Creek Bridge is the first to exceed 15 metres above a body of water, with 15 segments and 13 spans, nine of which are on the water. Each bridge measures 42.23 metres in length. The spans have been constructed in 123 days, or around four months, using launching girders.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) will commence construction of Metro Line 12 in the next months. Metro Line 5 Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan passes through APMC Market Kalyan. Taloja is located in Navi Mumbai. Kalyan and Taloja will be connected by Metro Line 12. Work will start soon. APMC Market Kalyan will serve as an interchange for Metro Line 12, popularly known as the Kalyan-Taloja line. Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan are Mumbai’s eastern suburbs and popular residential areas. Kapurbawdi, Balkum Naka, Kasheli, Kalher, Purna, Anjur Phata, Dhamankar Naka, Bhiwandi, and Gopal are among the stations on the Thane-Kalyan line. The project will cost INR 5,494 crores. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the project. The completion date is set for October 2025. Ridership is projected to reach 1.92 lakhs by 2031.

Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha Metro) plans to build a 29-kilometre light rail transit (LRT) system in Thane, Maharashtra, with one circular route and 22 stations. Thane’s mass transport project was originally planned as a standard (heavy) metro line, but it was abandoned in 2019 owing to financial issues and then resurrected as a metrolite or light rail transit (LRT) system in early 2020. The system will be developed in accordance with the Government of India’s July 2019 metrolite specifications, meaning that it would be cheaper to construct (about Rs. 100 crore/km), operate and maintain due to its smaller size and lower capacity compared to regular heavy-rail metro systems.

Metrolite trains will primarily operate at-grade (road level) on dedicated/fenced-in corridors and will serve as an excellent feeder to the Mumbai Metro (Line-4 Green Line & Line-5 Orange Line) and local suburban train system. Its standard gauge system will be developed with trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h. Two of the 22 stations will be underground, with the remaining being elevated. A train maintenance depot has been planned to be set up at Wadavli. Thane Metrolite’s Detailed Project Report was approved by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in December 2020 and is now awaiting clearance from the state government.

Project Cost, Ridership & Metro Stations 

According to the earlier proposals, the Thane Metro, which is expected to cost Rs 10,000 crores, will be funded by the centre and the Maharashtra government, accounting for thirty-three per cent of the project cost, with TMC arranging the remaining funds through low-interest loans. According to forecasts and projections made by the Thane Metro Corporation in 2019, the Thane Metro is expected to carry 5.76 lakh people every day, with peak-hour ridership estimated to exceed more than 23,000 commuters. The initial Detailed Project Report (DPR) called for 22 metro stations spread across 29 kilometres. The internal Thane Metro has been planned to connect to the Wadala-Kasarvadavli Metro at two points: the planned and proposed New Thane station and Dongripada. It shall also link Mumbai Metro Line-5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) at Majiwada.