'Metro 3 Operational Date Not Finalised Yet': MMRCL

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) is yet to finalise the date of making Phase 1 of Metro 3 or Aqua Line operational. It said the operations of Phase 1 of Metro 3 between Aarey Colony and BKC will start once all certifications are received. After becoming fully operational, the Aqua line will run between Colaba and SEEPZ.

“We are yet to fix the date of commencing the operations of Metro 3. The inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) is yet to happen. The date of commissioning the service will be decided only after we get CMRS nod. There is a likelihood of MMRCL inviting CMRS for inspection this month,” a senior MMRCL official said.

“We have also completed 99% of civil works while work to construct metro stations is 97% complete. Similarly, the work of tunnelling has been accomplished fully, overall system work is 77.6% done, civil works at depot is 99.8% finished and mainline track work is 87% complete,” the official added.

Metro 3 is a 33.5-km-long underground corridor running along Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ. The length of the corridor is marked with 27 key stations out of which 26 will be underground and one at grade. There are multiple layers of clearances such as Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Independent Safety Accessor (ISA), Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) in sequence. “RDSO has completed the inspection and the certification is awaited while the ISA inspection is going on currently,” the official said.

MMRCL currently has 19 rakes in its fleet, which is sufficient to operate Phase 1 of the underground metro corridor. Once ready, 260 services will cater to an estimated 17 lakh passengers daily. MMRCL is also working on the multi-modal integration of stations, which will involve connectivity with other modes of public transport for the last mile, good footpaths outside the stations, seating arrangements and foot over bridges wherever needed.

Recently, the Government of India signed the fifth and final tranche loan agreement with Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) marking a significant milestone in the funding of the project. As per the GoI approval dated February 29, 2024, the revised project cost of Mumbai Metro Line-3 is Rs 37,276 Crore, with 57.09% JICA loan amounting to Rs 21,280 Crore. The JICA loan agreement for Tranche V, amounting to 84 billion Japanese Yen (Rs 4657 Crore) completes the funding for Metro Line 3 project. The first tranche was signed on September 17, 2013.

Stations on Metro 3:

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, Aarey Depot