The Maharashtra government has finalised the alignment of Mumbai’s Metro Line 8, also known as the Gold Line, which will connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The corridor will be developed by the City and Industrial Development Corporation under a public–private partnership model. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport, with commercial operations scheduled to begin on 25 December.

According to the approved alignment, Metro Line 8 will start from Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Andheri and run underground up to Chhedanagar in Chembur. After crossing the Vashi Creek bridge from Mankhurd, the line will follow the Sion–Panvel Highway before turning inward to serve Nerul, Seawoods and Ulwe, eventually terminating within the Navi Mumbai International Airport complex.

As per the detailed project report, 11 stations will be located within Navi Mumbai. These include Vashi, Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul Sector-1, Nerul, Seawoods, Belapur, Sagar Sangam, Targhar/Moha, NMIA West and NMIA Terminal 2, with the last two situated inside the airport premises.

Stations on the Mumbai side up to Mankhurd include Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2, Phoenix Mall, S G Barve Marg, Kurla, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Garodia Nagar and Baiganwadi.

The alignment passes through several densely populated and economically important areas. After entering Navi Mumbai through Mankhurd, the corridor will run along the Sion–Panvel stretch through Vashi, Sanpada and Juinagar. From LP Junction in Nerul, a key station is proposed near Dr D Y Patil University, after which the line will pass through inner Nerul and Seawoods, including an interchange near Wonders Park, before heading towards Ulwe via Apollo Hospital and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.

Stations at Sagar Sangam and Targhar/Moha will cater to the rapidly developing Ulwe node, after which the metro line will enter the airport precinct.

Metro Line 8 is expected to integrate with Metro Lines 1 and 3 at Marol Naka, Metro Line 6 at Kanjurmarg, and is also likely to connect with Line 2B, the suburban rail network and bus services in Belapur. Officials said the corridor will offer a reliable and time-efficient option for frequent airport users, including corporate travellers, airline staff and business passengers, helping them avoid road congestion.