A six-coach train on Thane Metro Line 4 was tested between Gaimukh and Kapurbawdi on Friday, as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority prepares to begin services at some stations by December, according to a report by Loksatta – Thane.
The trial covered the section from Gaimukh towards Kapurbawdi and was followed by a return run in the direction of Kasarvadavli. During the exercise, officials inspected the train’s movement, the viaduct and other technical aspects of the corridor.
The trial is part of work on Metro Line 4, which is planned to connect Wadala, Ghatkopar and Kasarvadavli, and Metro Line 4A, which extends from Kasarvadavli to Gaimukh. Both projects are being implemented through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, or MMRDA.
The report said an engine had run on the corridor on Thursday, followed by the six-coach metro trial from Gaimukh to Kapurbawdi on Friday. The exercise was conducted to examine the functioning of the route and related technical systems before the next stages of testing.
MMRDA is planning to start metro services between some stations in Thane city by December. The authority’s plan applies to selected sections of Metro Line 4 and Metro Line 4A, while the entire project will take longer to complete, according to the report.
The Gaimukh-Kapurbawdi section is part of a wider transit project intended to improve connectivity within Thane and ease road congestion. The corridor will add a mass-transit option for passengers travelling through areas currently dependent on roads and existing public transport services.
The completion of the trial run does not by itself confirm the start of passenger services. Further technical procedures and safety tests are expected before operations can begin. The report did not specify the exact stations that would be opened first, the proposed operating schedule or the date on which passenger services would commence.
The next stage will involve advancing the remaining technical and safety processes for the sections targeted for opening. MMRDA’s stated objective is to begin services at some Thane stations by December, while work on the complete Metro Line 4 and Metro Line 4A project continues.
