Mumbai’s First Underground Metro Aqua Line 3 Phase 1 Set To Start Operations In July

Mumbai is set for a major overhaul of its transport network with the launch of its first underground metro line in July. The new metro line promises to significantly decongest the city’s busy roads by laying 33.5 km below the city’s busy roads.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation has invested over Rs 37,000 crore in the ambitious project that aims to address the city’s perennial traffic problems.

The underground metro project has 27 stations, 26 of which are underground, and the tunnel is 33.5 km long from Aarey Colony. Construction of the massive tunnel covering 56 km of land began in 2017 but was hampered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initial phase begins in July and runs from Aarey Colony to BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex), where commuters face massive traffic jams. However, it is worth noting that Mumbai already has two metro projects, but none of these have completely solved the city’s traffic problems.

The first phase is scheduled to begin in July, and the entire project, including the second phase of the tunnel, is expected to be completed in the next eight months, further improving Mumbai’s transportation.

The metro will operate 260 services per day, with a frequency of every few minutes from 6:30 am to 11:00 pm. Since the metro can run at up to 90 km/h, commuters will save a lot of time compared to road travel. The metro will cover a 35 km journey in just 50 minutes, which usually takes more than two hours by road.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 23,136 crore. JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is funding the majority of the project, i.e. 57.2 percent ODA loan of Rs 13,235 crore. This includes a repayment period of 30 years, a 1.15 percent interest rate for Project A, and a 0.01 percent interest rate for consultancy services.

This mobile service will be available continuously even if the line is completely underground. The third line can carry up to 3,000 passengers at a time. Mumbai’s first underground metro line will apply for safety clearance to start independent operations soon after Phase 1 commissioning.

Mumbai Aqua Line 3 Metro Stations

The stations on Aqua Line 3 are Cuffe Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Churchgate, Hutatma Chowk, CST Metro, Kalabadevi, Girgaon, Grant Road, Mumbai Central Metro, Mahalaxmi, Science Museum, Acharya Atre Chowk, Worli, Siddhivinayak, Dadar, Sitaladevi, Dharavi, BKC, Vidyanagari, Santacruz, Domestic Airport, Sahar Road, International Airport, Marol Naka, MIDC, SEEPZ, and Aarey Depot.