On Friday, a trial train made it to Cuffe Parade station, the last terminus of Mumbai’s first underground Metro line, marking a major milestone for the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC). This development indicates that important infrastructure, such as rolling stock, rails, and civil works, will soon be finished in preparation for the full operational debut in July 2025.
Of the 33.5 km-long Aqua Line 3, a 12.69 km section between Aarey JVLR and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) has been operational since October 7, 2024. System trials for Phase 2A, spanning 9.77 km from Dharavi to Acharya Atre Chowk, are also underway, connecting seven key stations.
An important step towards the commissioning of Phase 2B was taken with the most recent train testing, which spanned a 10.99 km stretch from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade. Now that significant projects like the Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and rail construction have been finished, MMRC is concentrating on last-minute system upgrades, architectural improvements, and road restoration to guarantee smooth operations.
“Today marks a significant step forward as we progress toward completing another milestone. While trials for Phase 2A are in full swing, we have also initiated train movements for Phase 2B. We remain committed to launching the entire corridor by July 2025,” said MMRC Managing Director Ashwini Bhide.
MMRC Director of Projects S K Gupta emphasised the ongoing efforts to wrap up the remaining work efficiently. “We are dedicated to delivering a world-class urban transit system for Mumbai. These successful train trials reaffirm our commitment to a seamless Metro experience for commuters,” he stated.
Source: Mid-Day
