Mumbai, August 13, 2026: Mumbai’s suburban rail network will soon witness a major transformation, with 238 metro-like suburban trains expected to be introduced in 2027 and the entire local-train fleet slated to be converted to a metro-like system by March 2030, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday.
Fadnavis said the Centre has approved the production of suburban trains on the lines of metro trains. The trains will be manufactured at facilities that are also producing modern trains such as Vande Bharat. The new suburban trains will feature automatic doors, air-conditioning and improved cleanliness and passenger amenities.
Fadnavis was speaking during the e-inauguration of two infrastructure projects of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the launch of the ‘Arjuna’ Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) on the Thane side of the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project, and the naming ceremony of the flyover connecting G Block of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) with the Eastern Express Highway as the former Maharashtra Chief Minister Barrister Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale Flyover.
The Chief Minister said Thursday was an important day for Mumbai’s transportation infrastructure and expressed confidence that the projects inaugurated would provide a “mobility booster” to the city.
Chembur Metro Station To Improve Connectivity
Fadnavis said the newly inaugurated Chembur Metro station would provide Mumbai residents with an important additional connectivity option. Metro network expansion is progressing rapidly across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with 60-70 km of new metro routes expected to become operational this year, he said.
Around 90 lakh passengers currently travel through Mumbai’s suburban railway network, while metro infrastructure is being developed with a capacity to serve nearly 70 lakh passengers, Fadnavis said.
Measures Planned To Ease BKC Congestion
Fadnavis said the government had decided in 2017-18 to develop six connecting roads to permanently address traffic congestion in the BKC area. While work began with six links, the number was subsequently increased to eight, with the inauguration of the final link taking place on Thursday.
He said the projects would improve connectivity between eastern and western Mumbai. The elevated corridor between Bharat Nagar Road and Vakola Junction is expected to provide smoother travel.
Fadnavis directed officials to take measures to address congestion near the exits of these connecting roads. He also suggested implementing underpasses or other suitable measures, depending on the situation, to ease traffic congestion on the Western Express Highway.
Country’s Longest Twin Underground Tunnel
The Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project will create the country’s longest underground road tunnel, Fadnavis said. The existing 23-km road distance between Thane and Borivali will effectively be reduced to 11 km through the twin underground corridor, cutting travel time significantly.
The journey between Thane and Borivali is expected to take only 12-15 minutes after completion of the project. The ‘Nayak’ TBM has already been deployed for the first tunnel, while the second machine, ‘Arjuna’, was launched on Thursday. This will allow construction of the two tunnels to progress simultaneously. Two more TBMs are also expected to be deployed soon on the Borivali side of the twin-tunnel project.
BKC Flyover Named After Former CM
The flyover connecting G Block of BKC with the Eastern Express Highway has been named after senior freedom fighter and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Barrister Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale.
Fadnavis said naming the flyover after Bhosale was a recognition of his contribution. During his tenure, several welfare schemes were implemented for freedom fighters, he said.
In Brief: Chembur Metro Station
Chembur is an important station on Phase 1A of Metro Line 2B, connecting DN Nagar with Mandale. With connectivity to the Chembur suburban railway station and monorail station, it is expected to develop into a major multimodal transport hub.
The station is located close to the Eastern Express Highway, Sion-Panvel Highway, Eastern Freeway and Santacruz-Chembur Link Road. Its 185-metre-long platform is designed to accommodate eight-coach metro trains. The station has lifts, escalators, CCTV surveillance, facilities for persons with disabilities and a first-aid room.
The station has been designed on the “green building” concept and will be integrated with other public transport systems, including suburban railway and monorail services.
In Brief: Santacruz-Chembur Link Road Phase 2
The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road and its extension projects have been developed to establish seamless east-west connectivity between the Eastern and Western Express Highways.
The final and crucial link under SCLR Phase 2 is a 1.40-km elevated corridor between Bharat Nagar Road near the Mumbai University area and Vakola Junction.
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The corridor will provide direct and uninterrupted connectivity between BKC and the Western Express Highway. It comprises carriageways measuring 17.2 metres and 8.5 metres in width. The project is expected to ease traffic congestion in Kalina, Vakola and Kalanagar and reduce travel time by around 35 minutes.
With completion of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road connectivity, commuters will get a largely signal-free east-west corridor across these routes.
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