Mumbai Metro Poised For Big Leap In 2026: What The Expansion Means For Mira Bhayandar, Thane Locals

Following the launch of Mumbai Metro’s Aqua Line between Aarey and Cuffe Parade in 2025, attention has now shifted to the next phase of expansion. Authorities are planning a series of Metro openings in 2026, with new sections across Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Parts of four lines and one extension are expected to be rolled out this year, with at least two sections in January.

The initial rollout of Line 9 may be limited in scale, but it carries major implications for suburban connectivity. By extending Line 7 from Dahisar East terminus to Kashigaon, the four-station corridor will bring Mira Bhayandar into the Metro network for the first time. The 4.5-km route will establish a new rapid transit link on the outskirts of the city.

The new connectivity will allow Mira Bhayandar commuters to use the twin Metro routes that converge at Dahisar East and run toward Andheri. Passengers can travel on Line 7 to reach the Western Express Highway or switch to Line 2A for DN Nagar, with further interchanges available to Lines 1 and 3.

After being slated for a December debut, the opening has been postponed to January. However, authorities are yet to finalise a date.

Metro Line 2B, planned as a link between DN Nagar and Mankhurd, is currently undergoing safety trials. Five stations on the Mandale–Diamond Garden section in Chembur are nearing completion. This 5.3-km eastern segment will provide a direct interchange with the Harbour line at Mankhurd railway station and will ease travel across the eastern suburbs. When completed, the 23.6-km corridor will strengthen east–west movement via Bandra, Kurla and Chembur. Meanwhile, the next phase connecting DN Nagar to Saraswat Nagar in Khar is targeted for a mid-2026 launch.

Parts of Metro Lines 4 and 4A, which form a key link between Mumbai and Thane, are set to open in stages during 2026. Roughly two-thirds of the route is  expected to be operational. The initial 10.5 km section in Thane, running from Cadbury Junction to Gaimukh, is likely to be commissioned by March and will include the 2.7-km Line 4A between Kasarvadavali and Gaimukh. A further 10 km stretch from Gaimukh to Gandhi Nagar in Vikhroli is planned within the next six months, while the entire corridor up to Wadala is slated for completion by 2027.

Metro Line 6, which forms an important east–west link along the Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road, is on track to begin full operations by the middle of 2026. Stretching over 15.3 km, the route will run from Swami Samarth Nagar in Andheri West to Vikhroli, offering stops across Andheri East, Powai and Kanjurmarg.