Thane: Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik suggested an alternative alignment of the Thane Integral Ring Metro rail project to run through Samata Nagar, Lokmanya Nagar, Aai Mata Mandir and Shivai Nagar without interfering with the rest of the alignment. The deviation, he claimed, would lead to fewer rehabilitations required along the original stretch and instead raise footfall to the project.Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde directed the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MahaMetro) to study the feasibility and submit a report within three weeks.Meanwhile, Konkan graduate constituency MLC Niranjan Davkhare said the state has shown willingness to replicate and extend the Thane Integral Ring Metro rail project to Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva, bringing the fast-growing suburbs under the fast rail transit network. Davkhare, who raised the issue during an online meeting with Shinde and MahaMetro officials, said the suburbs, which have witnessed a sharp rise in population and commuter traffic, must be integrated with the Ring Metro to improve connectivity with the city and other parts of the district.“The rapidly developing Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva suburbs were not included in the original metro plan. There is now a need to connect them with the main metro network. The deputy CM responded positively and approved the extension,” Davkhare said through a statement. Meanwhile, officials said that a detailed project report for the proposed extension had already been prepared. Davkhare also flagged concerns over the proposed underground metro alignment through Chendani Koliwada and parts of old Thane, where residents have expressed fears about the safety of their homes. Metro officials said the tunnelling work would not endanger existing structures and said a detailed impact assessment of the affected areas would be carried out and the findings placed in the public domain.
