October 9, 2025: The city’s long-awaited 33.5-km Aqua Line, or Metro Line 3, is now fully operational, marking a major milestone in Mumbai’s transport infrastructure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the final section, connecting Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, during his recent visit to the city. The Phase 2B stretch, which includes 11 new underground stations, was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 12,195 crore. The complete corridor now links Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai with Aarey JVLR in Goregaon, offering end-to-end underground connectivity.
Developed at a total cost exceeding Rs 37,270 crore, the Aqua Line is designed to integrate with the city’s existing suburban rail system — connecting with Central Railway at Mumbai CSMT and with Western Railway at Mumbai Central and Churchgate. This network is set to improve accessibility to major commercial and administrative zones such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Nariman Point, Fort, and Kalbadevi.
According to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL), the new line is expected to reduce the load on suburban trains by 15%, save approximately 3.54 lakh litres of fuel per day, and eliminate 6.65 lakh vehicular trips daily. Around 13 lakh commuters are projected to benefit each day, with travel time between Cuffe Parade and Aarey JVLR now reduced to about one hour, compared to up to two hours by road.
Construction of the Aqua Line began in 2017, involving over 15,000 workers and the simultaneous use of 17 tunnel boring machines — a first in India. The project also included the rehabilitation of nearly 2,700 families and extensive environmental measures, including the plantation of over 23,000 trees and mangrove restoration efforts.
Source: Prop News Time
