Mumbai Metro: Dahisar To Kashigaon Link Nears Launch, Set To Ease Western Express Highway Congestion

The first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 9, connecting Dahisar East to Kashigaon in Mira Road, is expected to open to the public in March following the conclusion of the state budgetary session. The 4. 97-kilometre stretch has received safety certification from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), making the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) technically ready to commence passenger services.

The new corridor forms an extension of the Red Line and will provide Mira-Bhayandar with its first metro-based rapid transit connection. The line shall provide interconnectivity amongst the existing Western Express Highway, Western Railway, ongoing Metro Line 2A and Metro Line 7. When fully operational, the entire 13. 58-kilometre Metro Line 9 corridor will feature 10 stations, with the majority elevated and a small underground section near the airport.

One of the key objectives of the new metro link is to significantly reduce congestion at the notoriously gridlocked Dahisar Check Naka and along the Western Express Highway. The corridor is expected to divert a large number of commuters away from these traffic hotspots, which have remained severely congested for years. Travel times between Mumbai and the Thane district could be slashed by up to 75 per cent, depending on road conditions.

The initial phase will serve four stations—Dahisar East, Pandurang Wadi, Miragaon and Kashigaon—providing residents who currently depend on overcrowded local trains and congested roads with a faster, more reliable public transport alternative. The line seamlessly integrates with Metro Lines 7 and 2A at Dahisar East, fulfilling a long-standing demand from Mira-Bhayandar residents for direct metro connectivity to key employment hubs along the Western Express Highway and Andheri.

Trial runs on the Dahisar East to Kashigaon stretch have been completed, with all observations from the CMRS inspection addressed. The remaining sections of Line 9, extending further to Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium in Bhayandar, are expected to be completed by the end of this year. The project, estimated to cost ₹6,607 crore, represents a major step in strengthening Mumbai's growing metro network and improving urban mobility across the city's northern suburbs.