Mumbai Metro 3: Aarey Car Shed Almost Ready, Phase I Set For Launch

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) has announced that construction on the Aarey depot is 99.5 per cent complete, setting the stage for Phase 1 operations of the Metro 3 line between Aarey and Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

The Aarey depot spans 30 hectares, with five hectares preserved in their natural state. The remaining 25 hectares accommodate a station alongside the depot, which includes facilities for maintenance, operations, administration, and training. Designed to house 30 trains, each with eight cars, the depot's construction cost is estimated at Rs 328 crore.

"Only minor finishing works and testing and trials of the system are in progress," said an MMRCL spokesperson.

While the depot is nearly ready, the Operations and Control Centre will not be fully operational for the initial phase. Instead, a backup Operations and Control Centre at Bandra-Kurla Complex will manage the early operations.

The efficiency of the metro network will largely depend on the functionality of the Operations and Control Centre, which oversees real-time data on train movements, station activities, and passenger flow, ensuring smooth and efficient service. This centre also plays a critical role in emergency response, managing communications with emergency services and deploying resources as needed.

At any given time, up to 20 trains will be stabled at the depot, with additional trains positioned at terminal stations such as Cuffe Parade and Bandra-Kurla Complex, ready to begin service each morning.

The Aarey depot is essential for train operations, serving as the nerve centre of Metro 3. The project faced a three-year delay due to litigation over the car depot issue, underscoring its importance in ensuring the metro's operational readiness, as per Times Of India report.

First Underground Corridor

The 33.5-km long Metro-3 running along Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ is the first underground metro corridor of Mumbai. It will connect the Cuffe Parade business district in the extreme south of the city to SEEPZ in the north-central area with 26 underground and one at-grade station.

With an estimated project cost of Rs 33,000 crore, the project has received funding from several entities, including Japan's technical and lending agency, the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

MMRCL has further announced that the BKC-Colaba Phase II stretch is set to open in June-July.