Mumbai: After six and a half years of construction, the long-awaited Cuffe Parade-BKC-Seepz Metro 3 corridor in Mumbai is nearing its operational phase. Metro authorities are preparing to run a train on a short stretch in the island city, marking a remarkable milestone in the project's progress. The initial plan is to run the train until Siddhivinayak or Dadar station to facilitate trial runs.
Key infrastructure tasks such as overhead electrification (OHE) and track-laying have been completed up to Dadar station. This preliminary run is essential for gathering valuable insights ahead of the official trial runs, which are scheduled to extend till Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli.
Phased Opening Of The Much-Awaited Project
The phased approach adopted by MMRCL involves opening the corridor in three stages: Phase I covering Seepz-BKC, Phase II extending to Worli and the final phase reaching Cuffe Parade. Despite ongoing work, the train will progressively cover more stations as part of its advancement. The phase one of the Metro 3 line is expected to be operational by June-July now, after missing several deadlines.
Loaded Trials Underway
Currently, loaded trials on rakes are underway, simulating passenger loads with gunny bags filled with debris during train motion between BKC and Aarey. MMRCL possesses 19 rakes, enabling over 260 services in Phase I operations between BKC and Aarey. Safety certifications and approvals from relevant authorities, including the Independent Safety Assessor and the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, are prerequisites before commencing commercial operations.
The project, with a hefty price tag of Rs 37,000 Cr, is poised for Phase 1 operation between Aarey and BKC by the end of May. Subsequently, Phase II, covering BKC to Cuffe Parade, is slated for operationalization by October. Phase one consists of eight stations from Seepz to BKC, while phase two will include six stations from Dharavi to Worli. Phase three will have 11 stations between Worli & Cuffe Parade.
