Mumbai-Navi Mumbai airports to be connected by ‘Gold Line’ Metro; Travel time to be reduced to just 30 mins

In a major push for connectivity across Maharashtra, the State Cabinet Infrastructure Committee, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved a series of high-impact projects on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The centerpiece of these approvals is the ambitious ₹22,862 crore Metro Line 8, popularly known as the "Gold Line," which will provide a direct high-speed link between Mumbai and the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airports.

Mumbai-Navi Mumbai 'Gold Line' Metro

The 35-km Metro Line 8 is designed to revolutionize airport transit, slashing the travel time between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from the current 90 minutes to just 30 minutes.

The corridor will feature 20 stations. The route includes a 9.25-km underground section from Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 to Ghatkopar East (comprising six stations) and a 24.63-km elevated section from Ghatkopar West to Navi Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 (comprising 14 stations).


Chief Minister Fadnavis has set a strict six-month deadline for all land acquisitions and regulatory approvals. "The construction must be completed within three years of these approvals," the Chief Minister directed, according to a release from the CMO. The project requires approximately 30.7 hectares of land, with an acquisition budget of ₹388 crore.

Expressway Extensions and Regional Connectivity

Beyond the Mumbai metropolitan region, the committee fast-tracked several key projects to bolster the state's industrial and religious infrastructure. Instructions were issued to accelerate the extension of the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Highway. The new stretches will connect Nagpur-Gondia and Bhandara-Gadchiroli, ensuring that these eastern districts are integrated into the state's primary economic artery.

In preparation for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, a 66.15-km ring road for Nashik was approved at a cost of ₹3,954 crore. The project aims to decongest city traffic and provide smoother dispersal routes for the millions of devotees expected to attend the pilgrimage.

The panel cleared the upgradation of the 85.76-km highway connecting Navegaon More-Konsari-Mulchera-Hedri-Surjagad. This road will be transformed into a four-lane cement concrete highway specifically to facilitate the heavy transportation of minerals from the Surjagad mines to the integrated steel plant at Konsari.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed that all land acquisition and approvals for the Metro project... be done within six months, and the construction completed within three years of the approvals," a release from the Chief Minister's Office stated, as reported by PTI. These decisions are expected to provide a modern transport system impacting the pace of development for Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Nagpur.