The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro) would commence with the tendering process for the Thane Integral Ring Metro Project Corridor. The 29-km corridor will run along the periphery of the west side of Thane city with 22 stations. The network is encompassed by Ulhas River on one side and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) on the other.
The corridor, connecting major business hubs and providing an effective transport option for a large section of employees, is likely to be completed by 2029. More importantly, the Metro line would benefit thousands of daily commuters, especially students and those commuting every day to office and work areas by providing faster and economical transport options.
“We received clearance for the project from the Union cabinet recently. We have started with the work to prepare tender documents. We plan to commence the tendering process at the earliest so as to complete the project in the stipulated time,” a senior MahaMetro official said.
The connectivity would provide a sustainable and efficient mode of transport, facilitating the city to realize its economic potential and ease traffic congestion on the roads. It is also expected to contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
“The estimated cost of the project is Rs 12,200.10 crore, with equal equity from Government of India (GoI) and Government of Maharashtra (GoM) as well as part-funding from bilateral agencies. Funds would also be raised through innovative financing methods such as by Station Naming and Access Rights for Corporate, Monetization of Assets, Value Capture Financing route,” the official said.
The project would result in total daily ridership on the metro corridors for the years 2029, 2035 and 2045 by 6.47 Lakh, 7.61 lakh & 8.72 lakh passengers respectively. MahaMetro is presently executing Nagpur and Pune Metro Rail Projects and has added Thane Ring Metro to its kitty.
Meanwhile, MahaMetro has received proposals from five consultants to design approximately 8km of the total corridor. While the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was entrusted with the job to execute the project initially, it was later handed over to MahaMetro.
According to reports, the companies willing to provide design for the project include RITES Limited, STUP Consultants, LKT Engineering Consultants, and two French companies through their Indian arms - Enia Design and Systra MVA Consulting.
