THANE, Sept. 14 -- The proposed Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project, cleared by the state government in August 2025, has become the subject of intense debate in Thane. Citizens and experts have flagged alleged design flaws, route redundancies, environmental issues and social costs. Most importantly, they say, the government must publish the detailed public report (DPR) for public scrutiny. One of the top concerns are the 82 bends in the 29-km route, an engineering challenge in a heavily congested city. Thane has extensive underground utility networks, which could make the execution of a project like this very difficult, say activists. The proposed route passes through densely populated residential, commercial and industrial areas, prompting activists to point to the possible relocation of homes, businesses and informal settlements. The government has acknowledged that the route, from Wagle Estate via Lokmanya Nagar Bus Depot to Upvan, could potentially displace nearly 1,500 families in Lokmanya Nagar. Also, industrialists at the Upvan Industrial Estate worry that they may have to cede land to the project. Gopal Gurav, secretary of the Pokhran Small Scale Industrial Association, claims more than 40 industrial plots will be impacted by the metro, affecting 500-odd workers. Gurav also says businesses were not adequately consulted before the route was finalised. The metro's underground section has also raised some red flags. Citizens for Sustainable Transport (CST-Thane), a non-profit, says around 3 km of the proposed route passes beneath the heavily congested Thane railway station area. Extensive excavation work here could disrupt traffic and commuters for years, they say. Critics of the metro project are also questioning the need to spend Rs.12,500 crore on a project that will serve a projected 647,000 commuters. According to Meghna Shetty, a member of the Wake Up Thanekar non-profit, the project places a large financial burden without delivering proportional benefits. Some critics allege duplication with existing metro infrastructure. Thane is already served by Metro Line 4, from Wadala to Kasarvadavali, and Metro Line 5, which connects Thane to Bhiwandi. Instead, according to architect and urban planner Sulakshana Mahajan, the authorities should address areas that lack adequate public transport. The proposed Dongripada station is expected to run parallel to an existing Metro Line 4 station on the same road, serving a similar catchment area. Opponents argue that this overlap represents an inefficient use of public funds and does little to address genuine connectivity gaps within Thane's transport network. Environmental concerns have added another layer to the debate. While the plan submitted by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha Metro) states that 662 trees will be affected by the project, activists claim the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Tree Authority has identified 3,224 trees for felling or transplantation, nearly five times the number cited in the report. Critics argue that such discrepancies raise serious questions about the accuracy of the environmental assessment underpinning the project. Environmentalists also warn that the proposed Waterfront station and related construction activities along Thane's shoreline could adversely affect the ecologically sensitive mangrove ecosystem of the Thane Creek. No comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been made publicly available. Political opposition has focused on changing the proposed alignment. BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare highlighted the absence of Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva from the original metro plan, arguing that these rapidly developing areas should be connected to the wider metro network. As a result, at a meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on August 3, Maha Metro was directed to conduct a public hearing, initiate the process of extending metro connectivity to Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva, and prepare an impact assessment report for areas such as Chendani Koliwada and old Thane. State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has suggested that the route run through Wagle Estate, Lokmanya Nagar Bus Depot, Aai Mata Mandir, Runwal Plaza, Vedant, Acharya Atre Marg, Vartak Nagar and Pokhran Road, eventually connecting Pokhran Road No 1 and No 2. The original Upvan alignment has also been criticised because the area is bordered by the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Upvan Lake, limiting the possibility of large-scale future development. According to Mahajan, the ring metro project is more "construction-oriented" than "transport-oriented", with the emphasis appearing to be on creating infrastructure rather than addressing Thane's actual mobility requirements. She pointed out that the project was initially planned as a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) before being converted into a ring metro. Environmental analyst Dr Raman Tekale said a fresh, Thane-specific multimodal transport study was needed to examine bus connectivity, cycling infrastructure, pedestrian mobility and integration with the suburban railway network before committing to another large-scale metro investment. Maha Metro managing director Shravan Hardikar said the organisation would assess the proposed alternatives based on financial implications, relocation requirements and other impacts before submitting its recommendations to the government. Dismissing technical concerns, Hardikar said the project would use the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a "safe" method used in the Pune Metro. It "had not caused even hairline fractures" in surrounding structures, he said. On environmental issues, Hardikar said only 500 trees would be cut and 2,600 transplanted, while Maha Metro plans to plant around 37,000 trees along with the forest department and TMC. Around 60% of the tunnelling debris would be reused for land reclamation and filling at the Kasarvadavali depot. Regarding the project's financial structure, Hardikar said 20% of the cost would be funded by the central government, 20% by the Maharashtra government and 60% through international lenders such as KfW and the Asian Development Bank. The TMC would be responsible for land acquisition and management of project-affected persons. The project is currently undergoing a geotechnical survey, while land acquisition for the depot at Kasarvadavali is 40% complete. Hardikar said an environmental study assessing the impact on SGNP and surrounding forests is also underway....