Wed Sep 25 05:54:18 UTC 2024: ## Mumbai’s First Underground Metro Line Set to Open Soon
Mumbai is one step closer to its first underground metro line, with the inaugural section between Aarey Colony and Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) set to open soon. The 12.5 km stretch, part of the 33.5 km Colaba-Seepz-Aarey Metro Line 3, is awaiting final safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS).
Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), announced that the line is almost ready for commissioning, with 93% of the work completed. The line boasts ten stations, connecting both Terminal 1 and 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova Metro Line 1 at Marol Naka station.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the Aarey-BKC section, along with other infrastructure projects in the state, in the first week of October. The full Colaba-Aarey line is projected to be operational by March or May 2025.
The new metro line will offer 96 daily services between Aarey and BKC, with the first service starting at 6:30 am and the last at 10:30 pm (except on Sundays, when the first service will be at 8:30 am). Fares will range from Rs 10 to Rs 50, with a maximum of Rs 70 once the entire line is operational.
The Metro Line 3 will be capable of transporting over six lakh passengers daily, with trains designed to run at 85 kmph and an average speed of 35 kmph. The line will be operated by 48 captains, including ten women, with a significant female presence also in the operation and maintenance teams.
First Piper 