According to Thane municipal officials, the much-anticipated suburban railway station project between Thane and Mulund got a big boost on Wednesday when railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav approved the allocation of Rs 1.85 billion for building platforms, laying tracks, and other necessary facility components. The declaration was made during a meeting between Vaishnav and a delegation of Shiv Sena MPs from Thane and Kalyan, Naresh Mhaske and Dr. Shrikant Shinde, respectively, at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi.

The project would cost a total of Rs 2.64 billion, of which Rs 1.85 billion is set aside for the development of the operating area, which includes erecting the administrative building and laying platforms and tracks. The railway ministry will now be responsible for paying this expense, which was originally going to be covered by the Thane Municipal Corporation as part of its smart city plan.

According to reports, this choice is anticipated to avoid future project delays and lessen the financial strain on the already financially challenged municipal organisation.The construction of the circulating area beyond the station grounds, including roadways, elevated roads linking the highways, parking bays, bus terminals, and other facilities, would still fall under the purview of the TMC.

Since it started in 2019, the project has advanced by around 30%, and its current completion date is December 2025. Once it is operational, most commuters from the surrounding Thane neighbourhoods of Mulund and Ghodbunder will probably choose to use the new station, which is predicted to drastically reduce the number of passengers using the current Thane station.