Navi Mumbai: With the Navi Mumbai International Airport expected to begin full-scale operations within the next year, large scale road infrastructure upgrades have begun across the region. One of the key projects under execution is the ₹846 crore redevelopment of the Thane–Belapur Road, a crucial transport corridor that connects industrial, commercial and residential pockets of Navi Mumbai.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has confirmed that the long overdue overhaul is being executed under the central government’s Hybrid Annuity Model which allows the project cost to be shared between public funding and phased contractor payments. The redevelopment plan includes three new flyovers and a full reconstruction of the arterial highway.
Three Flyovers Planned To Ease Congestion
The new flyovers will be constructed at Rabale Junction at a cost of ₹171 crore, between Crystal House and Pawne for ₹110 crore, and from BASF Company to the Hyundai showroom in Mahape for ₹338 crore. Alongside these, a ₹227 crore reconstruction of the existing corridor has been approved.
Another flyover at Turbhe, which has long been a known bottleneck due to railway station traffic and industrial movements, is already under construction.
Confirming the development, NMMC city engineer Shirish Aradwad said the upgrade is essential to manage future traffic. “The renovation work of Thane–Belapur Road will be undertaken, which includes the renovation of the road along with three new flyovers. This decision has been taken considering the future increase in passenger and freight traffic. The process has been initiated,” he told Hindustan Times.
NMMC Seeks MIDC Funding Support
In parallel, the civic body has requested ₹400 crore from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation to share the cost of the flyovers, citing the increased road burden due to industrial activity sanctioned by the agency in the Thane–Belapur region.
NMMC commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde said the proposal reflects forward planning. “Given the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport and the expansion of the MIDC area, it is necessary to plan these new flyover projects on Thane–Belapur Road from now itself. We have submitted a proposal to MIDC that it should bear the cost of these flyovers, and a letter in this regard has recently been sent,” Shinde said.
Industrial Corridor To Become Key Airport Link
Thane–Belapur Road is regarded as the industrial backbone of Navi Mumbai, connecting Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane and Turbhe. Rapid urbanisation in the past decade has led to rising logistics movement, longer commute times and repeated congestion, particularly during peak industrial hours.
The overhaul includes major drainage upgrades, road reconstruction, replacement of damaged paver blocks, and green cover additions where possible. The work will be carried out in phases to avoid travel disruption and remains aligned with the opening schedule of the airport.
Part Of Wider Regional Mobility Network
Once completed, the revamped corridor will serve as a direct north–south connector for airport bound vehicles from Thane, Mira Bhayander and Airoli to Panvel and Uran. Its alignment with the Katai tunnel, Sion–Panvel Highway and ongoing mega mobility projects such as the ₹6,300 crore Thane–NMIA Elevated Corridor and the Ulwe Coastal Road linking the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link positions the stretch as a critical component of the region’s emerging mobility grid.
The civic authorities maintain that the upgrade is not only a response to predicted passenger movement but also an economic necessity aimed at reducing transit delays for industrial and logistics operations.
