Driving from Thane to Navi Mumbai takes a minimum of 90 minutes right now. However, that is about to change and you could soon reach Navi Mumbai from Thane in just 30 minutes. The Maharashtra State Cabinet has approved the construction of a 25-kilometer (km) elevated road from Thane to Navi Mumbai. The State Cabinet’s decision has been led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and will be developed by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Elevated Road From Thane To Navi Mumbai: Know More About This Ambitious Project
The new elevated road will connect two of Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s (MMR) most important subdivisions – Thane City and Navi Mumbai. Both are important economic centers, having plenty of industrial and commercial spaces as well as a considerable residential area. The new elevated road will connect Thane to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport and will be developed by CIDCO under a PPP model.
The elevated road aims to boost connectivity between the two important residential and economic hubs, reducing the travel time from 90 minutes to a mere 30 minutes. As it cuts down on an hour of travel, the ambitious project will be a milestone infrastructure development bridging Thane and Navi Mumbai.
The road will have six interchanges and a top speed of 100 km/hour. This will significantly reduce travel time for commuters hailing from Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Thane City, Dombivli, Badlapur-Ambernath, as well as Bhayandar.
Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Land Use; Project Given A Three-Year Deadline
The Maharashtra State Cabinet has also approved land acquisition for commercial use along the 25-km long elevated road. CIDCO will be permitted to utilize government land beneath the elevated corridor at a nominal rate, further reducing implementation costs. The state cabinet has also allocated a whopping INR 6363 crore for the ambitious project – signalling how it is an important infrastructure upgrade that will boost road connectivity.
The State Cabinet has given a duration of six months to CIDCO to clear out all required approvals, including environmental and regulatory clearances.
With an estimated construction timeline of three years, officials have already issued a caution that the project might face delay due to land acquisition and permits.
Costlier Toll Than Atal Setu
With the Thane to Navi Mumbai travel time cut down by an hour, the elevated road will charge a significantly high toll – even more than the existing rates of Atal Setu! The toll for a one-way trip on the elevated road has already been set at INR 365, whereas the toll on Atal Setu stands at INR 250. News reports suggest that the toll will increase annually as the project progresses.
Elevated Road To Support MMR’s Next Aviation Hub
The Thane-Navi Mumbai elevated road will significantly elevate traffic while supporting economic growth in the region. With the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) set to reduce the strain on Mumbai’s existing airport, the elevated road will provide a more accessible option from the Eastern Express Highway and Thane-Belapur Road for travelers.
The NMIA will be opening soon and is projected to handle up to 2 million passengers annually in its initial phase alone. This is projected to rise to 9 million passengers by 2038 when it will reach its full operational capacity.
Summing Up
The Thane-Navi Mumbai elevated road will be a 25-km stretch that will significantly improve connectivity between these two economically important areas in the MMR. It will also lend support to road connectivity around the NMIA and cut down on travel time by 60 minutes. Even though the toll rate will be more than even that of Atal Setu, the elevated road is set to serve as an important corridor for economic growth and daily commute.
