Mumbai Metro Line 3 To Be Fully Operational By August; PM Modi To Inaugurate City's First Underground Corridor
In a major milestone for Mumbai’s public transportation network, Phase 2A of Metro Line 3—spanning 9.77 km from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli—was inaugurated on Friday. Commuters can begin using this fully underground stretch starting today. This section is part of the much-anticipated 33.5-km fully underground Metro Line 3 (also known as Aqua Line), which will be entirely operational by August, with the Prime Minister scheduled to flag off the completed corridor, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who briefed media at time of Phase 2A (BKC to Acharya Aatre Chowk) inauguration ceremony on Friday May 9th.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was also present along with IAS Ashwini Bhide Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL), which is the project implementing authority.
CM, Deputy CM along with officials took a ride from BKC upto Siddhivinayak Metro 3 station. During media briefing Fadnavis said, “This underground metro line from Cuffe Parade to Aarey is country’s longest single-line underground metro corridor. We anticipate the whole stretch to be operational by August in the presence of PM Modi, and we aim to open another 100 km of metro span across MMR by 2027.” Furthermore he pointed out that how the project was delayed due to environmental and legal hurdles in the past and due to Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) Government led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray. Work was stalled until 2022, but it resumed only when the Eknath Shinde (CM) government came to power.
Deputy CM Shinde too stressed that he too did not stop the project and bulldoze the speed breakers put by the erstwhile MVA government. He said, “This metro will almost reduce five lakh vehicles, which will go off roads and there will be huge savings in fuel, energy, and save time of commuters significantly.”
The newly inaugurated Phase 2A features six underground stations and promises a swift 15-minute journey from BKC to Worli with a headway of 6 minutes and 20 seconds between trains. Eight trains will conduct 244 daily trips along this stretch, with fares ranging from Rs. 10 to Rs. 40. For longer journeys, such as from Aarey JVLR to Acharya Atre Chowk, travel time is estimated at 36 minutes, with a maximum fare of Rs. 60.
Connectivity is the hallmark of this new metro corridor, linking prominent business hubs like BKC and Worli. It also offers easy access to key cultural and religious sites, including Siddhivinayak Temple, Mahim Dargah, and Shivaji Park. Future integration with Metro Line 2B and the Bullet Train project at BKC is expected to significantly boost ridership.
Metro Line 3, being implemented by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL)—a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra—will run from Colaba to SEEPZ, serving 27 stations (26 underground, 1 at-grade) and covering major commercial, educational, and residential zones. With a project cost of INR 37,276 crore, the corridor aims to decongest Mumbai’s roads and reduce pressure on the suburban rail network by 15%.
The line incorporates advanced features such as driverless train technology (initially operated with drivers), full-height platform screen doors, and India’s first "Twin Booted Low Vibration Track – High Attenuation" system to minimize noise and vibration impacts on surrounding structures.
When fully functional, Line 3 will offer a seamless one-hour ride from Cuffe Parade to Aarey, integrating with six business districts, over 30 educational institutions, and several hospitals, religious sites, and recreational centers. Designed for a peak-hour passenger density of 72,000, the corridor is expected to witness a daily ridership of 14 lakh in its first year of full operations.
With the August launch nearing, Mumbai inches closer to a new era in urban transit, one that promises faster, quieter, and more sustainable mobility.
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