Amitha Reji George, Pune
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai in the first week of October, he is scheduled to partially launch the Metro 3 project, the city’s first underground metro. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) has announced that Phase I of the Metro 3 corridor, connecting Aarey to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), is set to commence soon. This will mark a major step for Mumbai Transport, as it will inaugurate Aqua Line, the city’s first fully underground metro line.
The Metro 3 line connects 33.5 kilometers and will link Mumbai’s southernmost business district, Cuffe Parade to the north-central area via Colaba, Bandra and Special Electronics Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ). Being the only metro line linking to the southern region of Mumbai, this metro will be helpful for daily passengers.
According to The Economic Times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the Metro 3 line which stretches 12-kilometer from Aarey to BKC. This includes 10 stations in between them. Following the inauguration, the access will be given to the public. Operational hours will be from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m on weekends.
The Metro 3 inauguration was initially scheduled to be completed in 2021, but due to logistical and legal constraints it was pushed . One of the reasons for slowing down the project was the problems around the cutting of surrounding trees around the Aarey Car depot. Other objections were the repeated revisions of the timeline because of the delay caused by contractors. Finally the MMRCL has set a final date for completion of the project and Phase I is ready.
The underground metro is expected to reduce the traffic, making it an easier and faster transport option for Mumbai’s population.
Apart from Metro 3, PM Modi is expected to also lay the foundation stone for the Thane Ring Metro. The 29-line lane metro will be operational by 2029 and will have 29 stations. The designed route aims to ensure connectivity between Mumbai, Kalyan and Thane alleviating the congestion on roads and time for daily commuters.