₹6,363 Crore Thane–Navi Mumbai Airport Elevated Road Approved, ₹365 Toll Rate Sparks Debate
Thane–Navi Mumbai Airport Elevated Road has been given the green light by the Maharashtra Cabinet under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The 25-km elevated corridor, estimated at ₹6,363 crore, will directly connect Thane to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The project will be executed by CIDCO under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Planned as a six-lane, access-controlled corridor, the road will include six major interchanges. Authorities say vehicles will be allowed to travel at speeds up to 100 km/hr. Once operational, the corridor will cut travel time between Thane and NMIA from nearly 90 minutes to just 30 minutes. This is expected to ease congestion on the Eastern Express Highway and Thane–Belapur Road while improving connectivity to the new international airport.
The Cabinet has also approved land acquisition for commercial use along the route. In addition, CIDCO will be allowed to use government land beneath the elevated stretch at nominal charges. Officials have described the initiative as one of the state’s most significant urban infrastructure projects, benefiting commuters from Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath–Badlapur, and Bhayandar, who currently face long travel times to Mumbai’s congested Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
However, the steep toll rate for the corridor has already triggered debate. A single trip is expected to cost ₹365, higher than the ₹250 toll on Mumbai’s Atal Setu sea bridge. Officials have also clarified that toll charges will be revised annually, raising concerns among regular commuters.
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The Navi Mumbai International Airport, which is nearing completion, is expected to handle two million passengers annually in its initial phase. By 2038, once the airport is fully operational, the figure is projected to rise to around nine million passengers per year.
Bharat Details will continue to track updates on both the elevated road and the NMIA project as they move closer to launch.
