September 10, 2025: Mumbai’s long-awaited Metro Line 3, the 33.5-km Aqua Line, is on the verge of completion, promising to revolutionise travel between Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai and Aarey in the western suburbs. The city’s first fully underground metro corridor has been rolled out in phases, with the final Worli–Cuffe Parade section now awaiting safety clearance.
The Aqua Line, built by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL), has faced repeated delays but is now in its last stage. Managing Director Ashwini Bhide confirmed that commercial operations on the final segment will only begin after inspection and approval by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS).
A significant milestone was achieved on July 23, 2025, when MMRCL energised the entire route by activating the 25 kV traction line, paving the way for trial runs on the Worli–Colaba Cuffe Parade stretch. While the launch was initially scheduled for August, final safety checks have pushed the timeline slightly.
The line has already been partially operational for a year. The first stretch, from Aarey-JVLR to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), opened in October 2024, linking the suburbs directly to the financial hub. The second segment, from BKC to Worli, was launched in May 2025. Together, these cover 22.5 km and have seen strong uptake, with the corridor recently crossing the 1 crore ridership mark.
Once fully functional, Metro Line 3 is expected to carry 4.5 lakh passengers daily, with projections rising to 6.5 lakh. It will drastically cut travel times between north and south Mumbai, provide direct access to both airports, and integrate with suburban rail at Churchgate and CSMT.
More than just easing congestion, the Aqua Line represents a landmark in Mumbai’s infrastructure journey—India’s first metro of such scale to run entirely underground.
Source: The Free Press Journal
