Soon, a metro corridor linking Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports

The commencement of construction on the Airport Express Metro Line, which will connect Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will start soon.

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The state government has initiated planning work for this crucial transportation link, coinciding with the ongoing construction of the NMIA.

The anticipated expenditure for the 35km-long Airport Express Metro Line is estimated to be Rs 15,000 crore, with a projected daily ridership of nine lakh passengers. Although the number of services per hour on this line may be comparatively low, experts suggest that this frequency will be adequate considering the flight timings. The biggest outcome will be that the travel time between the two airports will fall sharply from the present two hours to around half an hour.

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) will oversee the execution of the project in the Navi Mumbai region, while the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will be responsible for the Mumbai region.

This comes in a backdrop where the much-awaited first metro line in Navi Mumbai is finally operational, marking a significant milestone in the city's transportation infrastructure. Further, it is a very positive development that the line to the airport is happening at a great pace, and even faster than the airport construction.