Govt takes surprise decision on Metro 8, will use a pvt developer
The proposed Metro 8 corridor will provide a critical link between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai International Airport
MUMBAI: The state has decided to develop the proposed Metro 8 corridor, connecting the Navi Mumbai and Mumbai international airports, using the Public Private Participation (PPP) model, despite its failure in other Mumbai metro projects.

A Government Resolution issued on Monday said it was giving formal sanction to a decision to build Metro 8 on a PPP basis taken at a meeting where the state chief secretary was present on May 27, 2024.
The Metro 8 project was to be developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Now, the state urban development department has appointed the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) as the nodal agency, which has been told to prepare a detailed project report on the new metro line.
The proposed Metro 8 corridor will provide a critical link between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the latter scheduled to become operational by April 2025. At present, the new air terminal can be accessed by road via the Atal Setu. It will become easier to access after the Worli-Sewri connector is constructed.
Government sources said the decision to adopt the PPP model for Metro 8 defied sound judgement, given that the model had been previously used to build Mumbai’s first metro corridor, Metro 1, and had proved unsuccessful. The Metro 1 line, which connects Ghatkopar and Versova, was built a decade ago on a PPP basis, between MMRDA and Reliance Infra, where the latter has a 74% stake. Although the metro itself is a huge success, it remains entangled in a financial mess. As a result, all Mumbai metro projects after this have been developed on a contract basis, requiring no private participation.
So, why opt for the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, which hinges on private participation, for Metro 8? The government source pointed out that both the Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airports are operated by the Adani group. Building the new metro on a PPP basis would mean roping in a private entity, the source pointed out, leaving little doubt about the private company that could be involved in the project.
The Metro 8 route will be around 35 km long – it will include 25.8 km of elevated track and an 8.2-km underground section. It will pass through Kurla and Mankhurd and will also connect Lokmanya Tilak Terminus on the Central Railway in Kurla, and the Interstate Bus Terminal which will be built in Mankhurd.
The metro line, which will have 20 stations, will be connected to Metro 2B. According to 2023 estimates, Metro 8 will cost ₹15,000 crore. Sources in the government said it will take at least six years for Metro 8 to become operational.

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