September 23, 2025: Mumbai is preparing for a major milestone in public transport, with Metro Line 3 — the city’s first fully underground corridor — scheduled to become operational on September 30. Known as the Aqua Line, the 33.5 km stretch will run from Aarey in the north to Cuffe Parade in the south, covering 27 stations and easing congestion in some of the city’s busiest districts.
The inauguration of the final phase, a nine-kilometre section linking Worli’s Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, will be carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The route will include 11 significant stations such as Science Museum, Mumbai Central, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Hutatma Chowk, Vidhan Bhavan, and Cuffe Parade.
Once fully operational, the Aqua Line will increase the number of functional metro corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to five, spanning 91 km. Current lines — including Versova–Andheri–Ghatkopar, Dahisar–DN Nagar, Dahisar–Andheri East, and Navi Mumbai’s Belapur–Pendhar link — already serve around nine lakh passengers daily. Authorities expect ridership to double to nearly 20 lakh once the Aqua Line is complete.
Beyond the Aqua Line, the MMR is witnessing rapid metro expansion. Eight corridors are under construction, including Line 2B between DN Nagar and Mandale, Line 4 to Thane’s Gaimukh, and Line 6 between Swami Samarth Nagar and Vikhroli. Several others, such as the airport connector between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, are in advanced planning. By 2030, the metro network is projected to cover 319 km, offering a parallel system to the city’s overburdened suburban railway.
Officials emphasised that the growing network will be integrated with arterial roads and connectors to create a faster, more reliable, and environmentally sustainable transport system for Mumbaikars.
Source: The Indian Express
