INDIA: On October 5 India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the first 12·7 km section of Mumbai Metro’s Aqua Line, or Line 3, flagging off a service at Bandra-Kurla Complex station before riding the line. Public services started on October 7.
Unlike Mumbai’s three other operational metro lines, Line 3 is almost entirely underground. Only the depot and station at Aarey Colony at the northern end are at grade. Boring of the twin 5·85 m diameter tunnels began in late 2017, with 17 TBMs deployed along the 33·5 km, 27 station route. The last tunnel breakthrough took place in November 2022.
The initial route runs south from Aarey Colony JVLR to BKC, with the only metro interchange being with Line 1 at Marol Naka. Stations serve each of the international and domestic terminals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, although air passengers are not permitted to carry large luggage on the metro.
A station at Santacruz provides interchange with Indian Railways’ Western and Harbour suburban lines via a 500m elevated walkway along Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
The line has 25 kV 50 Hz overhead electrification and Alstom Urbalis 400 CBTC signalling for GoA4 driverless operation, although initially the line is being operated with on-board drivers. Test running with the first of 31 eight-car Metropolis units being built by Alstom at its Sri City works in Andhra Pradesh began in March.
The next phase of the Aqua Line running south from BKC to Acharya Atre Chowk is expected to open in early 2025, with the remainder to Central, Chhatrapati, Churchgate and Cuffe Parade business district in Colaba due by the end of 2025.
The project’s estimated Rs372·6bn construction cost has been part-funded through a Rs212·8bn loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Last year Delhi Metro Rail Corp won a 10-year operating contract for the line.
Mumbai Metro now has four lines in service totalling 59 route-km, with 51 stations. As well as the remainder of Line 3, extensions to Lines 2 and 7 and new lines 4, 5, 6 and 9 and will together add 133 route-km.
