Thane metro project attracts five consultants for initial design phase

Initially, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was entrusted to execute the project, but it has now been handed over to MahaMetro

Thane: Within a fortnight of the Union cabinet approving the Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail project worth ₹12,200 crore, the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro) has received proposals from five consultants to design approximately 8km of the 29km long circular corridor traversing areas of Thane west.

The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro) has received proposals from five consultants to design approximately 8km of the 29km long circular corridor traversing areas of Thane west. (HT Photo)

This project has been in the planning stages for at least seven years. Initially, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) was entrusted to execute the project, but it has now been handed over to MahaMetro.

The five companies willing to provide a detailed design of the project are public sector enterprise RITES Limited, Navi Mumbai-based STUP Consultants, New Delhi-based LKT Engineering Consultants, and two French companies through their Indian arms - Enia Design and Systra MVA Consulting. One will be appointed to design the first section comprising six stations over a stretch of about 8 km.

Shravan Hardikar, managing director of MahaMetro, said, "The firm chosen will only design the stations. The entire 29 km will be split into 3 to 4 sections for construction efficiencies."

The route will criss-cross some of the most congested residential areas of Thane as well as those developed in the last decade and in the process of transformation. These include Wagle Estate, Manpada, Waghbil, Balkum, Rabodi, and Thane Railway Station. For now, detailed designs will be prepared for six stations: Waterfront (Hiranandani Estate), Waghbil, Vijay Nagari, Dongripada, Manpada, and Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagruha.

"Geo-technical investigation will commence shortly and bids to design the remaining 14 stations will be floated soon," Hardikar added.

The proposed 29 km corridor with 22 stations dotting the circular route is estimated to cost ₹12,200.10 crore as against the seven-year-old evaluation of ₹10,893 crore, which is a 12% increase.

The governments of India and Maharashtra will have equal equity in the project, and part of the funds would be raised from multilateral development banks and bilateral funding agencies. Planned to be ready by 2029, instead of the earlier deadline of 2025, this route will only serve to travel within Thane and also act as a feeder route to Mumbai Metro 4 that will operate between Gaimukh and Wadala via LBS Road.

Studies done earlier indicate that the project will have a daily ridership of 6.47 lakh in 2029, 7.61 lakh in 2035 and 8.72 lakh in 2045.

Project details

- Length: 29 km

- Notable stations: Thane Railway Station, Rabodi, Balkum, Kolshet, Patlipada, Waghbil, Vijay Nagari, Manpada, Shivaji Nagar, Wagle Estate

- Total stations: 22

- Estimated cost: ₹12,200 crore

- Projected daily ridership: 6.47 lakh in 2029 | 7.61 lakh in 2035 | 8.72 lakh in 2045