A major interchange point for Mumbai’s Metro network is being planned as part of the Dharavi Redevelopment Plan. This will include a central metro station that will connect several lines.
Plans are being made to develop a multi-modal hub in Dharavi. It will include a metro station where many metro corridors will meet. This would make Dharavi the first place in Mumbai to have such a full metro interchange.
Two stations are planned as part of this extension. One of them will be at Sion. The project is in its planning phase. The estimated cost is INR 16,000 crore.
The new station will be called Dharavi Central, which will allow commuters to switch easily between different metro lines. The station will also support movement across east-west and north-south routes.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) has been assigned to build Metro Line 11. This line will run from Wadala to Hutatma Chowk via Byculla. As per current plans, Metro Line 11 will be extended westward from Wadala to Dharavi. It will meet the existing Metro Line 3 at this point.
Sources say the new station will change how people move around the city. The hub will not just include Metro trains. It will also link to walking paths, cycling routes, and the railways. Feeder bus services are being planned to link nearby areas to the metro and railway stations.
Dharavi’s location makes it suitable for this hub. It is close to Metro Line 3, Western and Central Railways, and the planned Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail station. All of these are within three kilometres.
Many local residents of Dharavi have long struggled with poor connectivity. As per sources, the metro hub will help people reach jobs, colleges, and hospitals more easily.