Mumbai Metro Line 4 to Begin Trials in September, Operations by Year-End, says Deputy CM Shinde.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Sunday that trial runs for Mumbai Metro Line 4 will begin in September, with commercial operations expected to start by the end of the year.

Speaking at the 31st Varsha Marathon in Thane, Shinde provided an update on the metro's progress. "Work on the Thane internal metro line with interchange stations with Metro 4 is also progressing, which will provide last-mile connectivity and benefit commuters from Thane and neighboring areas," he stated.

The Wadala-to-Kapurbawdi corridor, which has been extended to Gaimukh as Metro 4A and is also being linked to Mira-Bhayander (Metro 10), will form a seamless loop with other metro lines across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Progress and Challenges

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials report that 85% of the work on the corridor is complete. They highlighted a recent milestone: the installation of a 58-meter steel span at the Pantnagar-Ghatkopar bus station.

However, the timeline has been met with skepticism from activists and opposition leaders, who point to delays in station construction along the Ghodbunder stretch and the incomplete Mogharpada car shed. In response, authorities have a plan to address the depot issue. They will transport 48 metro coaches from the Mandale depot (Line 2B) to the elevated section between Gaimukh and Cadbury on Line 4 to begin trial runs and pre-commissioning work without waiting for the new depot to be finished.

Thane's Road and Infrastructure Plans

Beyond the metro, Shinde also outlined plans to decongest Thane's roads. He proposed rerouting freight and outbound traffic from Gujarat, Nashik, and JNPT via the Mumbai freeway extension and Coastal Road. This plan would bypass the city and divert vehicles to the Saket and Fountain Hotel junctions.

Additionally, Shinde urged Thane municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao to use the ₹3,000 crore budget, released during his time as Chief Minister, to preserve Thane's green spaces, maintain its identity as the "City of Lakes," and ensure the city's roads are pothole-free.