Partial Metro 4 & 4A operations may be pushed to November

Thane: After missing multiple deadlines since this Jan, MMRDA is eyeing launch of partial operations of Metro 4 and 4A between Gaimukh and Cadbury Junction in Thane in Nov, officials said. Sources said the Feb parapet slab crash in Mulund that killed one caused crucial ancillary works required before safety trials to be delayed by two months. The monsoon is now likely to stall the work further, pushing the deadline to late 2026, officials said. The work on the stretch is nearly 90% complete and even though the Mogharpada car shed may not be operational till then, MMRDA claims to have made temporary arrangements for rake maintenance along the corridor.The development comes nearly nine months after CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde flagged off the much publicised trial run of the services on Ghodbunder Road, where the Gaimukh-Vijay Garden stretch covering Metro 4A and part of line 4 was expected to open by Jan 2026 and the extension till Cadbury junction by March.“We were targeting partial operations by March 2026, but that could not be achieved. Work was impacted after the Mulund incident and several activities had to be rescheduled. We are now looking at a Nov 2026 deadline to operate the services on the route after completing the mandatory safety checks,” an MMRDA official said.Meanwhile, the rakes brought in for the trial run remain parked on the elevated corridor above Ghodbunder highway, gathering dust and triggering frustration among lakhs of commuters who continue to endure worsening traffic congestion on the stretch.“The Metro line 4 rakes stand idle between Kasarvadavli and Owale, while we continue to face worsening congestion on the roads. Starting the services even on the small stretch could have helped us travel in peace between Kasarvadavli and Cadbury junction. At present, it takes 45 minutes or more at times during peak hours,” complained a daily commuter.Runwal Nagar resident Shivaji Desai said he has spotted the empty rakes moving along the tracks frequently but said there was no clarity when the services would start and help reduce the congestion on roads.