Metro railway line to connect South Mumbai and Thane

The Maharashtra government said today it plans to introduce a metro rail line connecting South Mumbai and neighbouring Thane.
"A plan to set up metro railway line at an estimated cost of around Rs 2,091 crore is under the active consideration of the government," Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said in the lower house, replying to a discussion on the issue through a calling attention notice.
Chavan indicated that a feasibility plan had been worked out and that the government is ready to take it up.
Consultants felt that an efficient public bus transport system is considered more viable and preferable, he said.

Informing the house that a detailed project report for the joint metro project had been prepared, Chavan said that it would be discussed during the next Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) meeting.
"The government will send the project report to the Centre for approval," Chavan said.
The government has decided to take up the project under a financial model, where the centre and state would each share 20 per cent of the project cost, while the urban local body would bear another 10 per cent, he said, adding that the remaining 50 per cent could be raised through loans.

In his written reply during the discussion, Chavan also informed that it has been decided to extend the proposed Navi Mumbai Metro project (Belapur-Kharghar-Khandeshwar) to the site of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.