Mumbai’s Metro 3 likely to be inaugurated before Maharashtra assembly polls

Mumbai: Mumbaikars will soon be able to enjoy a ride on the state’s second underground metro line – Mumbai Metro 3, as the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has invited the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to inspect and approve its rakes. Another invitation to inspect the tracks between Aarey Colony and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will be sent out next week and services on this stretch are likely to be inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi ahead of the assembly elections.
The first phase of Mumbai Metro 3, also known as the aqua line, will involve 10 stations spread over 12 km, while the entire corridor is 33.5 km long, dotted with 27 stations.
“The application for inspection and clearance to the rolling stock was sent to CMRS last week,” said SK Gupta, director (projects), MMRC. Rolling stock refers to metro rakes that will be used to ferry passengers. “Next week, we will invite CMRS to inspect and certify the entire line that is planned to be operational,” said Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC.
Metro rail officials said the flagging-off ceremony is likely to be held after the 10-day long Ganesh festival and before the commencement of the model code of conduct for the upcoming assembly polls. The state government and MMRC have already invited prime minister Narendra Modi for the event.
Each train would ferry 2,500 passengers, and the system would service 42,000 passengers per hour per direction with a service frequency of 3-4 minutes, said officials. An extraordinary surge in ridership is expected in the initial days as joy riders would take multiple trips up and down the route, they added.
Since the first phase of the aqua line will have connectivity with the international and domestic airport terminals, it is likely to be a popular mode of transport for executives who visit the Bandra Kurla Complex, Andheri East, MIDC and the jewellery manufacturing hub at SEEPZ. This route will also have connectivity with Mumbai Metro 1 at Marol Naka. Since Metro 1 has interchanges with other metro lines at Gundavali and Andheri West as well as at Andheri and Ghatkopar railway stations, it will ease travel to the western as well as eastern suburbs.
Though the ground-breaking ceremony for the 33.5-km long line was held on August 26, 2014 at Marol, construction work started only in October 2016.
Pune Metro is the only partially underground metro service in the state currently, with one of the deepest metro stations in the country at Civil Court, located at a depth of 33.1 metres.