26-km elevated corridor proposed to connect Thane with Navi Mumbai International Airport

“Currently, Thane’s access to NMIA is limited to Thane-Belapur Road and Palm Beach Road, both of which have heavy traffic congestion. The new corridor aims to provide an uninterrupted and faster route for travellers heading to the airport,” said a Cidco official.

The road will begin from Patni Chowk in Thane and extend to Vashi, covering 17 km parallel to Thane-Belapur Road. From Vashi to NMIA, the remaining 9 km stretch will be a double-decker elevated road.

While there are fewer environmental hurdles between Patni Chowk and Vashi, the second phase of the corridor—stretching from Vashi to NMIA—passes through areas with mangroves and coastal regulation zone restrictions. Cidco will need to secure multiple environmental clearances before proceeding with construction.

The estimated cost of the 26-km corridor is around Rs 8,000 crore. “Given the scale of the project, approvals, land acquisition, and environmental clearances will play a role in determining the timeline for completion,” the official added.

Apart from this elevated corridor, Cidco has also planned multiple roads and bridges to improve NMIA’s accessibility.

A key step in this direction was taken on March 25, when the forest department approved the transfer of 4,859 square meters of forest land near Ulwe and Sonkhar creeks. This land will facilitate the construction of a bridge by removing an existing bund over the Ulwe river, further strengthening the airport’s connectivity.