 "Mumbai Metro Line 3: Aqua Line")
(Image by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited on X)
State agency officials noted that starting October, Mumbai’s first-ever underground metro is expected to start operations in a phased manner. The Rs 37,276 crore project is likely to start full operations in 2025.
The first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3 – a 12.44-kilometre (km) long stretch between Aarey Depot and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) – will start operations by the first week of October, subject to certain clearances, concerned officials at Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) informed the press.
MMRCL is developing the Mumbai Metro-3 line in two phases – first connecting Aarey to BKC (12.44 km) and second connecting BKC to Colaba (21.06 km). The two phases combined are expected to cost Rs 37,276 crore, making it one of the most expensive metro stretches in the city and higher than the Rs 23,000 crore envisaged in the detailed project report (DPR) released in 2011.
Phase-II of the Mumbai Metro-3 line is expected to be operational by March-May 2025. Once fully operational next year, daily ridership of 13 lakh passengers is expected via the Metro line, with travel time cut down to 60 minutes.
Once inaugurated in October, the stretch will add to the list of recent projects operationalised in the city in the last year. In January 2024, Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, green-flagged the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link. Later, in March, the Coastal Road was opened to commuters partially. Earlier, in January 2023, the Mumbai Metro 2A line started operations in Modi’s presence. The city’s infrastructure projects often find prominence in election campaigns, and the state is likely to go to polls this year.
MMRCL officials note that the ticket rates for the first phase have been set between Rs 10 and Rs 50. This is likely to rise to Rs 70 per passenger per ride once the entire stretch is operational.
Mumbai Metro Line 3 is also expected to have access to 1.5 lakh square feet of commercial space available at different stations, which can generate non-fare revenue.
First Published: Sep 25 2024 | 6:23 PM IST
