Aarey-BKC metro line is expected to be operational by April

Mumbai: The first phase of the Mumbai Metro Line 3, also known as Aqua Line, which connects Aarey Colony and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), is expected to be operational early next year. On December 28, the managing director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), Ashwini Bhide stated that by April 2024 they expect the first phase of the Aarey-BKC route to be ready for public use.

“In the next three to four months, we expect phase-1 of Metro 3 to be available for public use,” said Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC while speaking at a function in Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh.

By January next year, works pertaining to Aarey depot are likely to be completed. After this speed and oscillation trials will be completed on the entire route in phase-1, take necessary clearances from the commissioner of metro railway safety (CMRS) and other authorities.

As of November 30, the MMRC had completed 93.4% of works on the Aarey-BKC route which includes 98.9% of works completed on stations and tunnels and 96.6% works on the overall construction of metro stations on this route. Earlier this November, Sahar metro station and the two tunnels connecting it were recognised for being innovatively done.

Moreover, as of December 24, they have restored 1.2 km of road length out of the total 3.8 km of road which have been barricaded on the Aarey-BKC route. On the BKC-Cuffe Parade section, they have already restored 1.3 km of road of the 8.5 km road length that is barricaded for Metro-3 works.

The MMRC authorities have already successfully completed the first long-distance trail from MIDC to Vidyanagari Metro station and back to SEEPZ, covering 17 kilometres. This was at 30 km ph or so and sources said that in the next couple of months, they will conduct trial runs at speeds of 80 kmph.

The MMRC already has 9 metro rakes in its fleet for operating on phase-1. Sources said that daily 7 rakes will be used to ferry passengers while one rake each will be on stand-by and for maintenance.

The work on phase-2 of BKC-Colaba Metro -3 line in all likelihood, will be ready by October 2024. The MMRC is implementing the 33.5 km long Aarey-BKC-Colaba metro line in two phases. The entire route is expected to cater to 17 lakh passengers every day.