Mumbai: Metro Line 5 To Extend Till Ambernath To Ease Train Crowding Post-Mumbra Tragedy; MP Shrikant Shinde Discusses Plan With MMRDA Officials
Mumbai: In the wake of the recent Mumbra train accident that claimed four lives and injured several others, concerns over overcrowding in Mumbai's suburban railway network, particularly beyond Thane, have come to the fore. In response, Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde convened a high-level meeting with senior MMRDA officials to push for urgent transit solutions. One major decision taken was the extension of the Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Metro Line 5 up to Ambernath via Ulhasnagar.
Shinde in a post on X wrote, “The Metro Line 5, which currently connects Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan, will now be extended from Durgadi Naka to Chikhloli Railway Station in Ambernath. This extension along the Kalyan-Badlapur Road will provide significant relief to commuters from Ambernath, Badlapur and Ulhasnagar and reduce the burden on local trains.”
An integrated transport hub will be developed at Chikhloli station, ensuring a smooth interchange between suburban railway and metro services. The extension aims to offer faster and greener travel alternatives while also reducing fuel consumption and road congestion.
The meeting was chaired by MMRDA Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee at the authority’s headquarters. Besides Shinde, Shiv Sena MLAs Balaji Kinikar and Rajesh More also participated. During the meeting, MMRDA was instructed to fast-track the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for the new metro extension. Shinde stressed the need to expedite not just the metro works but also other long-pending infrastructure projects in the Kalyan-Ambernath region.
Other Key Projects To Be Completed Alongside
One of the key developments includes the acceleration of the Kalyan Ring Road project. A major highlight is the proposed two-tier corridor at Nevali, which will have a flyover at the first level and a metro viaduct above it. The tendering process for this segment is set to begin soon. Once completed, the corridor will ease vehicular flow and improve public transport connectivity.
Other infrastructure discussions included the U-type road project in East Kalyan and the elevated flyover from Palm Resort to Vithalwadi over the Waldhuni River. Shinde also reviewed the progress of the proposed Navi Mumbai–Badlapur access-controlled corridor and called for expediting its construction.
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