MUMBAI, April 6 -- The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is set to inaugurate the first stretch of Metro Line 9, which will Dahisar with the Mira-Bhayandar stretch, on April 7. The line, which has faced multiple delays, will be functional between Dahisar East and Kashigaon. Senior MMRDA officials confirmed the revised date on Sunday, clarifying that the inauguration will take place on Tuesday. The announcement follows earlier statements by state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, who had said that the corridor would be launched on April 6. At present there are four metro rail corridors, lines 1, 2A, 3 and 7 that are operational in Mumbai. As the city launches the first phase of line 9, the 4.5 km to 5 km elevated corridor will connect Dahisar (East) to Kashigaon in Mira Road. Four stations including Dahisar, Pandurangwadi, Miragaon, and Kashigaon, are ready for operations and will be opened immediately after the inauguration. Metro line 9 will function as an extension of the existing red line (line 7), which currently runs from Gundavali to Ovaripada. Passengers travelling on line 9 will need to interchange at the Dahisar East station to access line 7. An MMRDA official said, "This route aims to cut travel time, enhance connectivity to lines 7 and 2A, and relieve the Western Express Highway." However, some last-mile connectivity concerns remain. Ongoing roadwork near the Dahisar check naka could make access to the station challenging, particularly for pedestrians using staircases and elevators. Crossing the busy Western Express Highway may also pose difficulties for commuters. The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL), which operates lines 2A and 7, has prepared a timetable for the new corridor. Officials indicated that 40 to 50 additional daily trips will be introduced, over and above the existing 305 daily services on lines 7 and 2A. MMRDA officials said that ridership will increase by at least 50,000-100,000 passengers per day, as the metro will provide an alternative to the heavily congested Dahisar toll naka stretch on the WEH. Currently, lines 2A and 7 together serve around 340,000 passengers daily, which is already higher than the 250,000 passengers recorded in February 2025. The new metro line is likely to offer a much-needed alternative to overcrowded suburban train services, particularly on routes connecting Dahisar, Mira Road, Vasai, and Virar. "Boarding local trains from Dahisar and Mira Road is often difficult due to overcrowding in the trains to and from Virar, Vasai and Bhayandar. The option of having a metro line all the way till Andheri is certainly welcoming," said railway activist K Verma. Metro line 9 has been delayed several times, with its launch date shifting from April 3 to April 6, and now to April 7. Sources said that the postponement is largely due to the availability of political leaders for the inauguration. The corridor received safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety in January, following successful trial runs. While only the first phase is being inaugurated on Tuesday, the entire project spans 13.58 km between Dahisar (East) and Mira-Bhayandar. First announced in 2016, it faced multiple challenges, including land acquisition hurdles, contractor delays, and public opposition to proposed depot locations....