Thane Metro 4A Delay: Cost Overruns and Extended Timeline


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The much-awaited Thane Metro 4A route forming part of the larger Metro corridor connecting CSMT to Mira Road, has been faced with huge delays and cost escalations. What was scheduled earlier to be completed by March 2024 has now been extended till April 2025 with a cost escalation of Rs 63 crore. This has invited criticism from commuters and locals who had to tolerate the discomfort of interrupted movements by ongoing construction works along the stretch of Ghodbunder Road.

Thane Metro 4A Route Details

Thane Metro 4A is a 2.7 km stretch part of the 56 km long Metro corridor that is currently being constructed in phases. The proposed project, conceptualized by MMRDA, will connect many important places of the city of Mumbai already causing traffic congestion and will thereby be faster and more reliable for commuters. Thane Metro 4A is scheduled to connect Kasarwadavli to Gaimukh. It is anticipated that this Metro will ease out the congestion along busy state highways like Ghodbunder Road.

Delays in the Project and Increase in Cost

Anil Galgali, an activist from the city, who raised the RTI query claiming that the Thane Metro 4A project is over a year behind schedule. The project was expected to be over by March 2024. The date is now moving ahead with the delay to April 2025.

This has pushed up the overall project cost, which has gone up by Rs 63 crore. The budget for Thane Metro 4A route was Rs 440 crore, but the cost escalation clearly reflects the financial woes involved in such humongous infrastructure projects. Galgali had filed the RTI application after he saw that construction work in the area was on for such a long time and there were frequent traffic snarls. He wanted to know why it had taken so long.

Impact on Commuters and Local Traffic

The Thane Metro 4A line has already brought much impact to the local traffic, particularly to the Ghodbunder Road, which is the major commuter route for thousands of residents in that area. Many travelers now experience long delays during peak hours because of severe traffic congestion caused by the project. Commuters have complained, saying that the project that was supposed to alleviate traffic woes in the long term has already brought a lot of short-term inconvenience.

Activist Anil Galgali pointed out that the work on this metro route has been going on for so long that many residents are irritated by it. Due to the delays in work, it made traffic flow worse, hence really tough for most of the commuters to arrive on time in school or even at work. An RTI application from Galalli sought more detail from MMRDA about the reason behind such delay and if the project is bound to be done earlier than it is stated.

Metro Corridor-Key Phases

This one is part of the larger 56-km metro corridor which connects CSMT in South Mumbai to Mira Road in the suburbs. The completion of the metro corridor will be done in phases. These include:

Phase 1: the Wadala-Kasarwadavli Line 4, which has begun its construction

Phase 2: this is the Gaimukh Line 4 extension, or rather Line 4A, which falls under the current spotlight.

Phase 3: The final stretch from Mira Road to Shivaji Chowk would complete the final leg of this metro line that would complete the entire Line 10 of the Metro network.

These connected lines would help the commuters traveling from South Mumbai to its suburbs with easy travel, and consequently, other parts of the city.

Reaction by MMRDA towards Delays

The MMRDA, in its formal response, asserted that the initial work orders of Thane Metro 4A had been released way back in September 2019. The agency said the contractor had already faced penalties to the tune of Rs 22 lakh on account of such delays. However, it chose to keep silent on the real reason for such a delay.

Conclusion: A Sine Qua Non But Testing Project

At the end of the promise this Thane Metro 4A brings on easing much-needed road congestion and much-needed public transport, has experienced usual delays and cost overruns common with big infrastructure projects. Residents and commuters will have to bear with these on-going disorganizations as they continue to hope it shall bring in a travel experience which shall flow better when completed.

It will complete the much-awaited extension timeline of April 2025 in completing this very critical metro route and will be of much-needed relief to the ever-growing population of Thane and its suburbs.

Refer :

TOI, Link to article

For more updates on the latest developments in Metro trains, check out our article on Gold Line Metro: Maharashtra Government to Decide on Execution for Rs 15,000 Crore Project


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