Inching closer to its opening date this financial year, the Metro Line 5 (Thane to Bhiwandi ) got its first rake – borrowed from Line 7 & 2A – this month. With this, trials on the metro line will begin next week, readying the line for its approaching deadline.

Rakes from the Mandale depot, where train sets from BEML for Line 7 & 2A have been stored, have been transported to the Metro Line 4 (Wadala to Thane) in Thane, coach by coach. From there, through the interchange station between the two lines at Kasarvadavali, one rake was transported to Line 5 on Navratri.

Hundreds of workers travelling to the warehouses and workplaces in Bhiwandi struggle in cramped rickshaws, paying Rs 40-50 a seat in traffic. For them, having a metro to travel from Thane to Bhiwandi will deliver a reliable and comfortable journey, reducing the travel time of 45 minutes and over in peak times to 25 minutes.

Status

Like the Metro Line 4, operations on the Metro Line 5 will initially run with a longer headway of 5 to 6 minutes.…