Mumbai: The state govt approved the Rs 22,862-crore Mumbai Metro Line-8 project connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). It cleared 40% viability gap funding support and permitted the transfer of 27.2 hectares of reserved forest land at Mandale for a metro car depot.Under the funding structure, the Centre and the state will contribute 20% each — Rs 3,446 crore apiece — while the balance will be invested by a private concessionaire under the public-private partnership (PPP) model on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. Cidco will implement the project. The total cost includes escalation and interest during construction.The 34.9-km corridor will comprise 9.8km of underground and 25.09km of elevated stretches, with 20 stations — 14 elevated and six underground. Construction is scheduled from June 2026 to May 2031.Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd will contribute Rs 564 crore, while the concessionaire’s share stands at Rs 9,773 crore. Cidco will bear the land acquisition and rehabilitation costs of about Rs 2,393 crore.The line is projected to carry 9.82 lakh passengers daily by 2031, rising to 17.7 lakh by 2061. The proposed 2031 fare ranges from Rs 15 to Rs 125, subject to review before commissioning.The project was declared an important urban transport initiative aimed at strengthening airport connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
