Cabinet committee clears Thane-Navi Mumbai Airport elevated road; Metro Line-11

Mumbai, Aug 19 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved the construction of a 25-km-long elevated corridor to link Thane with the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport and also underground Metro Line 11 from Wadala depot in Mumbai to the iconic Gateway of India.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The panel cleared several major infrastructure projects aimed at boosting transport connectivity and urban development across key cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur.

A statement from CM office said Fadnavis hoped the initiatives would accelerate the state's development and modernise public transport systems.

The committee approved the construction of additional railway lines to strengthen the Pune-Lonavala corridor. This will improve regional connectivity and ease traffic congestion in Pune, while also supporting industrial, residential, and commercial growth along the route, it said.

Under phases 3 and 3A of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), the state approved the procurement of 268 fully air-conditioned local train coaches. These trains will feature metro-style automatic doors and upgraded amenities. The new rakes will replace the old open-door trains in phases.

Notably, ticket fares will remain unchanged, CM Fadnavis said.

The cabinet cleared the construction of a 25-km-long elevated corridor to directly link Thane with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The project will provide high-speed connectivity for commuters and businesses in the region.

The much-anticipated Metro Line 11, a 16-km fully underground corridor from Wadala depot to Gateway of India, has been approved. The Rs 24,000 crore project will be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Key stations will include Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk and Horniman Circle.

The project also includes a joint commercial complex with BEST, generating additional revenue for the transport body.

A new township has been approved for development in Nagpur, alongside the construction of a new ring road to support urban expansion and decongest existing routes, the statement said.

As part of Phase 1 of the Pune Metro project, Balajinagar, Bibwewadi, Swargate and Katraj stations have been approved, further enhancing the city's urban mobility. PTI MR NP