Long, congested journeys to Mumbai airport could soon be a thing of the past. The Infrastructure Committee of the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved a 35 km Metro corridor, Line 8 or Gold Line, to directly connect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Estimated to cost Rs 22,862 crore, the project will be the first Metro link between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and a key pillar of the region’s emerging twin airport system.
Once operational, the Gold Line is expected to reduce travel time between the two airports to just 30 to 35 minutes, potentially transforming airport connectivity as well as travel between Bombay and Navi Bombay.
Q) Why does Mumbai need an airport to airport metro line?
Mumbai is gearing up for a twin airport system, with NMIA expected to share the passenger load with the overcrowded CSMIA. As air traffic continues to increase, seamless connectivity between the two airports will be essential not only for passengers, but also for airport staff and travelers in transit.
Currently, the road trip between CSMIA and NMIA can take between 75 and 120 minutes and often more than two hours during peak traffic hours. The Gold Line aims to close this gap by offering a fast, reliable and congestion-free alternative that reduces travel time to 30 minutes.
What difference will the Gold Line make?
The Gold Line is expected to reduce airport-to-airport travel time by more than half, ease pressure on Mumbai’s road network, provide reliable connectivity for air passengers and airport staff, and strengthen integration between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. In fact, it fills a long-missing link in the region’s transportation network. The road distance between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is around 38 to 40 km. Currently, the road trip takes between 75 and 120 minutes and can last more than two hours during peak traffic hours. Once Metro Line 8 (the Gold Line) comes into operation, end-to-end travel time between the two airports is expected to be about 30 minutes.
What will the route be like?
Metro Line 8 will run from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) Terminal 2 in Mumbai to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) Terminal 2, passing through the eastern suburbs and key nodes in Navi Mumbai. The corridor will have a total length of about 35 km, of which 9.25 km will be underground and 24.36 km elevated, with an average distance between stations of approximately 1.9 km. The underground stretch will run from CSMIA to Ghatkopar, while the elevated stretch will run from Ghatkopar East to Navi Mumbai airport.
How many stations will the Gold Line have?
The corridor will have 20 stations, six underground and 14 elevated. The underground stations will be located between CSMIA Terminal 2 and Ghatkopar East, while the elevated section will continue to NMIA.
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The proposed stations from west to east are: CSMIA T2, SG Barve Marg, Kurla Central, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Ghatkopar East, Govandi West, Mankhurd, ISBT–Mankhurd, Vashi, Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul Sector 1, Nerul, Seawoods, Belapur, Sagar Sangam, Targhar, Moha, NMIA West and NMIA Terminal.
How will it integrate with Mumbai’s transport network?
The metro will have three lines and will also have connection with the LTT station ensuring better connectivity. This means that travelers, including travelers from outstations, will be able to reach any of the airports using a single Metro line.
Who will build it and how much will it cost?
The project will be implemented by CIDCO under a public-private partnership model. The estimated cost is between Rs 22,862 crore. Around seven hectares of land will be acquired at a cost of Rs 388 million. The funding will include 20 per cent viability gap funding for the Center and the state, and the rest will come from a private partner.
When will it be ready?
While the project framework has already been approved, the bidding has not yet started. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered officials to expedite approvals to keep the project on schedule. The planned timeline is five years, although the state has indicated that it aims to complete the project in 3.5 years.