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To fast-track Mumbai Metro’s foray into South Mumbai, the Maharashtra government is appointing an Interim Consultant for the ‘Mumbai Metro Line 11’. CNN-NEWS18 has a document confirming this latest move. “The objective of this contract (appointing an interim consultant) is to take up various pre-tender activities in advance for execution of civil works of MML11 so that delay in starting project procurement process after JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) loan agreement is minimised,” says the document. It says the final project approval by the Government of India, including bilateral/multilateral loan agreement, are expected to be completed by March 2026. This will be a 17.417-km fully underground corridor with 14 stations; 13 of them will be underground. The revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been approved by the Government of Maharashtra and is now under consideration of the Central government. Mumbai Metro Line 11 alignment is envisaged to pass through the Eastern part of Mumbai City, especially starting from Anik Depot-Wadala, the Mumbai Port Trust Authority (MbPA) area, and old inner-city areas of Nagpada, Byculla, Bhendi Bazaar, etc. After years of being left out of Mumbai’s expanding metro network, the city’s oldest and most densely packed region, South Mumbai, will get its underground metro link. The 17.5-kilometre corridor will stretch from Anik Bus Depot in Wadala to SPM Circle near the Gateway of India, passing through key commercial, residential, and heritage districts: Byculla, Crawford Market, and Colaba. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) recently completed implementation of the 33.5-km fully underground Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ), and passenger services in the full section commenced recently. For the Metro-11 project, a General Consultant (GC) will be appointed for the project, the process for which will be commenced after signing of the Loan agreement. Awaiting appointment of GC, MMRC is appointing an Interim Consultant (IC) to assist in the pre-Bid activities and process including: final location survey, preliminary designs good for bidding, bid documentation, and the associated services. Mumbai Metro-11: Project Details This long-awaited extension is set to connect the Green Line (Line 4) from Thane to central and southern Mumbai. With an estimated cost of Rs 24,000 crore and a tentative deadline of 2030, Metro Line 11 is being described as a major milestone for urban transport in India’s financial capital. The new segment will add another 17.5 km southwards from Wadala to the Gateway of India, bringing Metro connectivity to areas that have long relied almost entirely on road traffic and the crammed suburban railway. Of the 14 planned stations, 13 will be underground, given the density and heritage sensitivity of South Mumbai. The only elevated part of the corridor is expected at the Wadala end. South Mumbai is often referred to as the city’s ‘island city’ or ‘heritage core’. It houses government offices, corporate headquarters, historic buildings, courts, tourist landmarks like the Gateway of India, and major railway terminals. Areas like Fort, CSMT, Byculla, and Colaba are some of the busiest neighbourhoods, with a daily influx of office-goers and tourists. However, this zone has remained poorly served by the Metro system, which has so far expanded mainly in suburban and peripheral areas. Metro Line 11 is expected to ease traffic, improve daily commutes, and offer a faster, cleaner, and more reliable transport alternative. The construction is expected to begin around 2027, with the corridor slated for completion by 2030, provided land acquisition and clearances proceed on schedule. Line 11 has been designed to act as a connectivity backbone for Mumbai’s multi-modal transit system. It will link with: Metro Line 4 (Green Line) at Wadala, making it a key interchange station; Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) at CSMT, which runs north through the business district of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to SEEPZ; and a proposed link to Dharavi, currently under discussion, to reconnect with Line 3 and form a massive multi-modal transport hub.
