Aqua line likely to be operational up to Acharya Atre Chowk by Feb 2025

Mumbai: A significant milestone was achieved by the underground Mumbai Metro 3 on Monday as the train reached the Siddhivinayak metro station of the Aqua Line from Aarey. If everything goes on time, the Mumbai Metro 3 will start ferrying passengers up to Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli by February 2025 and the remaining stretch up to Cuffe Parade till mid-2025, confirmed a source.
Next week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will partially inaugurate Mumbai Metro 3 between Aarey and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) as well as one corridor of Thane Creek bridge and lay the foundation stone of Thane Ring Metro among others.
Mumbai’s Aqua Line will be the first underground metro in the city and aims to reduce travel time between Cuffe Parade to the airport from 100 min to 50 min. It will cover a distance of 33.5 kilometres, stretching from Aarey Colony to Cuffe Parade, and will include 27 stations.
“The trains have already reached Siddhivinayak metro station and the results have been as desired,” said sources within Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) told Hindustan Times. “After Bandra Kurla Complex, the next crossover for trains to change tracks and return to the Aarey Depot is at Acharya Atre Chowk. We are working on certain technicalities and engineering works, and at a later stage will take a call if it’s possible to cater to Mumbaiites between Aarey and Acharya Atre Chowk in February, next year.”
Application has been sent to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to inspect and certify the 12.5 route between Aarey and Bandra Kurla Complex. If the authorities decide to initiate commercial operations up to Acharya Atre Chowk, the remaining stretch up to Cuffe Parade is scheduled to be ready for the public only by mid-2025.
As per the project update available, on the remaining 21 km beyond Bandra Kurla Complex, 92.3% is ready. The work includes road resurfacing, track laying, electrification, installation of systems within stations, testing, system integration, etc.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Mumbai Metro 3 was held back on August 26, 2014, at Marol, Andheri East by the then chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and the then Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, the construction took off only on October 21, 2016.