Mumbai Metro Line-11, Pune Metro new corridors and more: Maharashtra cabinet approves Rs 75,000 cr infra blitz

In a landmark decision aimed at transforming the state’s urban infrastructure, the Maharashtra cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has approved a sweeping package of projects valued at a staggering Rs 75,000 crore for key cities including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.

The approvals, granted on Wednesday, encompass a vast array of transit and development initiatives, headlined by a new Rs 24,000 crore underground Metro line in Mumbai that will connect Wadala to the iconic Gateway of India.

A new underground artery for South Mumbai 



The flagship project, designated Metro Line-11, is a 17.51-km corridor that will serve as an extension of the under-construction Wadala–Thane–Kasarvadavli Line-4. As reported by The Indian Express, an overwhelming 16.83 km of the line will run underground, with only 667 metres at grade level.

The corridor is set to feature 14 stations, 13 underground and one at grade, serving dense residential and business districts. The proposed stations are Anik Depot, Wadala Depot, CGS Colony, Ganesh Nagar, BPT Hospital, Sewri, Hay Bunder, Darukhana, Byculla, Nagpada Junction, Bhendi Bazaar, CSMT, Horniman Circle and Gateway of India.

According to a Detailed Project Report prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the line will operate six-car trains at 80 kmph with a peak-hour frequency of 2.5 minutes. It is projected to serve an estimated 5.8 lakh daily passengers by 2031, a figure expected to swell to over 10 lakh by 2055. Funding support is slated to come from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with the state seeking additional equity and interest-free debt from the Centre.

Massive rail fleet upgrade and expansion 



In a significant boost for Mumbai’s suburban network, the cabinet sanctioned the purchase of 238 fully air-conditioned local trains under the MUTP-3 and MUTP-3A schemes at a cost of Rs 4,826 crore. This procurement, as per The Indian Express report, will be equally financed by the Railway Board and the state government without any external borrowing.

Furthermore, the MUTP-3B project was cleared, covering 136.65 km of new rail corridors at a cost of Rs 14,907.47 crore. Key components include third and fourth lines between Badlapur and Karjat, a fourth line between Asangaon and Kasara and a new suburban corridor linking New Panvel and Vasai. The state government announced it would fund half the cost, partly through monetising railway land in Bandra (East).

State backs loans for regional Metro projects 



The cabinet formally cleared state guarantees for loans to be raised from bilateral or multilateral agencies for several previously approved Metro projects. This includes the Thane Circular Metro, multiple Pune Metro corridors and the Nagpur Metro Phase II. The state government will assume responsibility for repaying the principal, interest and associated charges on these loans.

For the Pune Metro’s Swargate–Katraj corridor, the cabinet approved the construction of two new stations at Balajinagar and Bibwewadi and the relocation of the Katraj station southwards to integrate with a bus depot. This alteration will increase the project cost by Rs 683.11 crore.

Major road and development projects cleared 



Beyond rail, the cabinet gave its nod to several critical road projects. These include the Rs 6,363-crore Thane–Navi Mumbai International Airport Elevated Road, to be developed as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project by CIDCO.
Also approved was a 148-km, 120-metre-wide Outer Ring Road for Nagpur, costing Rs 13,748 crore and designed to divert heavy traffic from the Samruddhi Mahamarg and other highways away from city centres, The Indian Express reported. Furthermore, the third and fourth suburban lines between Pune and Lonavala (63.87 km) were cleared at a cost of Rs 5,100 crore to decongest a corridor currently operating at 119% of its capacity.

Ambitious urban development hubs 



In a move to establish Nagpur as a major corporate destination, the cabinet cleared an International Business and Finance Centre (IBFC) under the ‘New Nagpur’ initiative. The project, spread over 692 hectares, is estimated to cost Rs 6,500 crore and is anticipated to generate over five lakh jobs by attracting knowledge-based industries and startups.

Finally, a new Bombay High Court complex at Bandra (East) in Mumbai was approved at a cost of Rs 3,750 crore. The complex, to be built on 30.16 acres of government land, will house courtrooms, judges’ chambers, residences and modern facilities and has been declared a priority project.