A metro corridor once planned as a limited Thane–Bhiwandi link has now evolved into a longer, more complex network that could significantly change how people travel across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The revised Metro Line 5, along with its extension Line 5A, stretches from Kapurbawdi in Thane through Bhiwandi to Kalyan and Ulhasnagar bringing mass rapid transit to areas that have long depended on overcrowded suburban trains and road transport. While the project was first approved in 2017, only its initial phase moved forward. The latest redesign not only revives stalled sections but also reworks the alignment to overcome earlier on-ground challenges. The ₹18,130.55-crore project was approved on Wednesday at a meeting of the state’s infrastructure development committee chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. How the alignment has changed The biggest shift lies in the Bhiwandi–Kalyan stretch, which had been stuck for years due to land constraints and concerns over traffic disruption. Originally planned as an elevated corridor, a key section between Dhamankar Naka and Temghar has now been moved underground. The earlier plan would …