Mumbai Gets New Metro Lines; PM to Inaugurate on 18 December

The ceremony will also launch a housing scheme for 60,000 affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(Photo: ANI)

Mumbai is all set to have new metro lines in the city. According to Hindustan Times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for Metro 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) and Metro 9 (Dahisar-Mira Bhayander) on December 18 along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Hindustan Times reported that the new metro lines will facilitate connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Metro 5 which is 24-km long will have 17 stations with ridership estimated to around 2.29 lakh passengers by 2021.

Metro 9 will also facilitate interconnectivity between the existing western express highway, Western Railway, Metro 2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar), and Metro 7 between Andheri (East) and Dahisar (East), according to Hindustan Times.

To facilitate smooth functioning, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) was given the status of a Special Planning Authority (SPA) earlier this year. The status gives the agency the leeway to create infrastructure in the area without the permission of other agencies.

The ceremony in Kalyan will also include the launch of a housing scheme for 60,000 affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (Cidco), Hindustan Times reported.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times.)