Thane Bhiwandi Metro Line 5 Delayed and Now Set for March 2025 Completion

19 Feb 2025 CW Team

The Thane-Bhiwandi Metro Line-5, initially scheduled for completion in March 2022, has been delayed, with a revised deadline now set for March 31, 2025. This three-year delay has raised concerns about project management efficiency within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The contract for the 24.90 km-long elevated metro corridor was awarded to Afcons Infrastructure on September 1, 2019. Designed to enhance connectivity between Thane, Bhiwandi, and Kalyan, the metro line will consist of 15 stations along its route. Despite the delay, the estimated project cost remains unchanged at Rs 8.98 billion. However, the penalty imposed for the delay is ?20.88 lakh, a figure considered minimal compared to the scale and impact of the extended timeline.

Once completed, Metro Line-5 is expected to play a crucial role in improving public transportation in the region. It will integrate with Metro Line-4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali), the proposed Metro Line-12 (Kalyan-Taloja), and the Central Railway network, thereby offering seamless connectivity for commuters. The improved infrastructure is projected to reduce travel time by 50 to 75 per cent, benefiting both commercial and government employees who regularly commute along these corridors.

The delay is a setback for Mumbai’s metro expansion efforts, which aim to alleviate traffic congestion and promote the use of public transportation. The revised timeline has led to increased demands for stricter oversight and enhanced accountability to ensure timely execution of such critical infrastructure projects. With the new deadline set for 2025, residents and commuters in the affected areas anticipate that the metro line will be completed as planned, significantly improving the region’s transportation network.

News source: Urban Acres

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..