Badlapur-Kanjurmarg Metro: Mumbai’s First Creek-Crossing Line’s Construction To Start in 2026

The Badlapur to Kanjurmarg corridor, which will be the longest metro route in the country, is set to be developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. MMRDA has issued a tender to find a private partner for the project. Through this partnership, the construction of this corridor will begin in 2026, and the corridor is expected to be completed within five years. MMRDA's plan is to enable travel from any corner of Greater Mumbai to the city center within an hour. Multiple metro routes are being developed to support this vision, and the Badlapur-Kanjurmarg Metro Line 14 will be a key corridor in this plan.

At present, the only limited option for commuting from Badlapur to Kanjurmarg is the suburban local train service. During the monsoon season, when local train services often get disrupted, residents in this region lose connectivity with Mumbai. This is why the 38-kilometer-long metro corridor is considered crucial, stated senior MMRDA officials.

Once this corridor becomes operational, it is expected to handle a daily ridership of around 700,000 passengers. This will be Mumbai’s first metro line that crosses the creek. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been studied by IIT Mumbai, which has given it a green signal. Additionally, the Milan Metro authorities from Spain have recommended that the project be developed under a public-private partnership model. Based on this advice, a tender has now been issued.

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This tender is in the form of an “Expression of Interest” (EOI), through which MMRDA is inviting private companies to partner with them in completing this project. The deadline for submitting the tender is July 28. After submission, the received proposals will be reviewed, and selected companies will be asked to submit detailed proposals. Although MMRDA has floated the tender to develop this corridor under a PPP model, the final decision rests with the state government. MMRDA Vice-Chairman and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have already discussed the matter, and soon a discussion will be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Following that, the state cabinet's approval will be necessary.

As all metro projects in India fall under the Union Ministry of Urban Development, the central government will also be informed of the proposal. Once all these formalities are completed, construction of this metro corridor is expected to commence in 2026.