Maharashtra approves Rs 17,725-Crore Mumbai Metro Line 13, including a double-decker bridge

Mumbai’s Metropolitan Region is set for a major connectivity upgrade after the Maharashtra Cabinet Infrastructure Committee approved Metro Line 13, a Rs 17,724.99-crore project to be built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The 25.03-km corridor will run through 16 stations, connecting Mira Road, Vasai, Naigaon, Nalasopara and Virar. Of this stretch, 21.78 km will be elevated and the remaining 3.25 km underground.

The centrepiece of the project is a first-of-its-kind 4.92-km double-decker bridge carrying both road traffic and the metro line — the first direct connection between Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar. Currently, commuters travelling between these two areas must take a 32-km road detour that takes over an hour. Once built, the new link is expected to cut that journey to just a few minutes.

Line 13 will also serve as a multimodal interchange, connecting with the Mumbai Suburban Railway at Naigaon, Nalasopara and Virar stations, and with the existing Mumbai Metro Line 9 at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium. A depot for the line is planned at Chikhal Dongri, and bus connectivity is being planned at all stations for last-mile access.

According to MMRDA’s estimates, the new line will cut travel time by roughly half compared to current road journeys, benefiting lakhs of daily commuters in the fast-growing Thane and Palghar districts.