Mumbai: A major milestone in Mumbai’s expanding metro network is unfolding at the bustling Gandhi Nagar junction in Vikhroli, where four layers of transport infrastructure are converging in a complex urban engineering feat.
In a high-precision operation carried out amid live traffic, engineers are installing a colossal 62.7-meter-long steel girder — weighing approximately 540 metric tonnes — at a height of 24 meters over the crucial JVLR-LBS junction.
This operation marks a significant step forward for Phase 2 of Metro Line 4, the section between Cadbury Junction and Gandhi Nagar, which is on course to open by December 2026. Once completed, the line will connect Gaimukh on Ghodbunder Road through Thane and Mulund to Kanjurmarg, drastically cutting commute times and enhancing connectivity across Mumbai's eastern corridor.
The girder installation, one of the most technically challenging aspects of the project, is taking place in an extremely narrow space flanked by heavy traffic on both JVLR and LBS Road. With cranes operating under tight constraints, the operation is being executed in three stages: a 30-meter span launched over JVLR and under Metro Line 6, a 17-meter segment extending toward Vikhroli, and a 15-meter portion toward Mulund.
The Gandhi Nagar junction is now emerging as a unique urban transport node — layering LBS Road at the base, followed by the JVLR flyover, Metro Line 6 above it, and now Metro Line 4 forming the topmost tier. This stacked design represents a new era of vertical urban mobility in one of Mumbai’s most congested zones.
Officials confirmed that the complex girder launch is progressing according to schedule, reinforcing confidence that the larger Metro Line 4 project — stretching from Wadala to Gaimukh — remains on track for its phased rollout. Once fully operational, the line is expected to serve over Eight lakh daily commuters, bringing relief to Mumbai's overcrowded road and rail systems.
