For those who commute by road, Metro 13 will offer a reliable and smooth option to enter Mumbai’s peninsula. (File photo)A Metro line to take commuters across Mumbai’s northern suburbs and a six-lane bridge to cut through one of its biggest road bottlenecks — Metro Line 13 is designed as a two-in-one connectivity fix for the Bhayandar-Vasai-Virar belt.Approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet this month, the 25-km corridor will connect Bhayandar to Virar, and its 4.92-km integrated road-and-Metro bridge across Vasai Creek will cut the road journey between Bhayandar and Vasai — from around 40 minutes to about 10 minutes.Together, the two links are expected to ease the pressure on packed suburban trains and congested creek crossings that currently carry much of the region’s traffic. Currently, the only reliable public transport route between these northern suburbs is the suburban rail.How will this Metro line help?Currently, the only reliable public transport route between these northern suburbs is the suburban rail.But this route gets extremely congested during peak hours, making everyday travelling a challenge. An alternative will be a game-changer and has long been sought after by commuters.For road commuters, the metro will offer a reliable and smooth option to escape congested roads that depend on narrow creek bridges to enter Mumbai’s peninsula.The integrated road bridge over the Vasai Creek will also ease congestion. Project detailsStarts: BhayandarEnds: Dongarpada, VirarLength: 25.03-km corridorStations: 16Story continues below this adNames of the stations: Subhash Chandra Ground, Naigaon, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Juchandra, Rajvali, Golani Naka, Vasai, VVCMC Fire Station, Achole Village, Nallasopara East, Nallasopara West, Morya Nagar, Yashwant Nagar, Virar, Viva College, Yazoo Park and DongarpadaElevated: 21.78 km (13 stations)Underground: 3.25km (3 stations)Cost: Rs 17,724.99 croreIncludes a 4.92-km integrated six-lane road and Metro bridge across Vasai Creek, connecting Panju Island. This Bhayandar-Vasai road bridge will reduce the distance between the two suburbs from 40 minutes to just around 10 minutes.Interchanges:With Metro Line 9 at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose StadiumWith suburban railway stations at Naigaon, Nalasopara and VirarDeadline: 5 years/2031Expected ridership: 4.49 lakh passengers daily by 2031Depot: Chikhal Dongri Will cut travel time by around 50 per cent compared with road travelStatus: With Cabinet approval of the DPR in, the MMRDA can begin on-ground work on the metro line, including appointing a consultant and then a contractor.Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram