Maharashtra Clears Rs 17,725-Crore Metro Line 13 Connecting Mira-Bhayandar to Virar

MUMBAI — The Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure has approved the Rs 17,725-crore Metro Line 13 project, a 25.03-km corridor connecting Mira-Bhayandar to Vasai and Virar across the Vasai creek.

The project, which received the go-ahead on Tuesday, will be executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The corridor will connect Mira Road, Naigaon, Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar, expanding rapid transit across the northern metropolitan region.

The alignment features a 21.78-km elevated section and a 3.25-km underground section. It includes 16 stations in total, three of which will be underground. A major component of the plan is a 4.92-km-long, six-lane integrated road-and-metro double-deck bridge across the Vasai creek with a link to Panju Island. A depot is planned at Chikhal Dongri in Virar.

Metro Line 13 will integrate with local suburban railway stations at Naigaon, Nalasopara and Virar. It will also be interlinked with Metro Line 9 at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose stadium.

The implementing authorities must acquire a 24.84-hectare land parcel for the corridor. The estimated cost for land acquisition and rehabilitation stands at Rs 2,715 crore. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who chaired the committee meeting, instructed officials to complete the land acquisition process and access roads within six months.

The metro corridor is scheduled to be completed within five years after final approvals are secured. Projections estimate daily ridership on the line will reach 4.49 lakh by 2031.

Fadnavis noted that the project is expected to reduce travel time by half compared to road travel, while strengthening transport links between Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Mumbai's suburbs, and surrounding industrial and logistics hubs.

MMRDA has also sought the go-ahead to be designated as the Special Planning Authority for the execution of Metro Line 13 and the Vasai creek bridge.