Ulhasnagar: The long-pending Metro Line 5A extension from Durgadi in Kalyan to Ulhasnagar has moved a step closer to execution, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) initiating the process of appointing a consultant for the revised project by inviting tenders.Simultaneously, the authority has begun preparing bid documents for civil construction, signalling that the project has entered the pre-construction stage.The development was disclosed in a letter sent by MMRDA to BJP MLA Kumar Ailani, who had sought an update on the status of the Metro Line 5A project. The proposed extension is expected to strengthen metro connectivity among Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar, benefiting lakhs of commuters.According to the letter, the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Metro Line 5A was submitted to the Maharashtra Urban Development Department on September 27, 2024, and received state government approval on April 22, 2026.MMRDA further informed Ailani that the Urban Development Department forwarded the proposal for notification of the metro alignment to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on May 18, 2026. The alignment notification is one of the mandatory statutory approvals before construction work can begin.With the DPR approved and the alignment proposal awaiting notification, MMRDA has initiated the consultant appointment process through tendering while simultaneously preparing bid documents for civil works to ensure construction begins soon after all statutory clearances are received.The 11.83-km Metro Line 5A, estimated to cost Rs 4,063 crore, will extend the under-construction Metro Line 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) from Durgadi to Ulhasnagar, replacing the earlier proposal terminating at Kalyan APMC. Once completed, the combined Metro Line 5 and 5A network will span 34.21 km at an estimated cost of Rs 18,130 crore.The corridor will improve last-mile connectivity in densely populated areas of Kalyan and Ulhasnagar while integrating with Metro Line 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali), Metro Line 12 (Kalyan-Taloja) and the Central Railway suburban network. The latest communication is expected to bring relief to residents of Ulhasnagar, where there has been a long-standing demand to extend the metro beyond Kalyan.
