Mumbai: The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) has floated bids to construct eight of the 22 stations planned under the Thane Ring Metro project. The project is proposed to be a 29-km circular corridor with 22 stations and is now estimated to cost ₹12,200.10 crore, up from ₹10,893 crore estimated seven years ago.
The eight stations where construction has been proposed are Manpada, Dongripada, Vijay Nagri, Waghbil, Waterfront, Patlipada, Thane Junction and New Thane. Of these, Thane Junction and New Thane will be underground, while the remaining six will be elevated.
According to MahaMetro’s estimates, the two underground stations will cost ₹223.70 crore, while the six elevated stations are pegged at ₹228.44 crore, taking the total estimated cost to ₹452.14 crore. The final cost may vary depending on the bids received and the eventual execution of the project.
As per the bid document accessed by Hindustan Times, the construction deadline is five years for the underground stations and 2.5 years for the elevated ones. Groundwork is expected to begin after the monsoon.
The project will be funded jointly by the centre and the state government, with additional funding from multilateral development banks and bilateral agencies. The corridor is now planned to be partially operational by 2029, instead of the earlier target of 2025. It will serve as an intra-city network for Thane and act as a feeder to Mumbai Metro Lines 4 and 4A (Gaimukh–Wadala) and Metro Line 5 towards Bhiwandi.
The detailed project report estimates daily ridership at 647,000 people in 2029, which is expected to rise to 761,000 in 2035 and 872,000 by 2045. The route will pass through some of Thane’s most congested and rapidly developing areas, including Waghbil, Vijay Nagri, Dongripada, Manpada, Gandhinagar, Wagle Estate, Railadevi, Balkumpada, Kolshet Industrial Area, Patlipada and Waterfront at Hiranandani Estate.