Mumbai’s First Underground Metro Line To Be Operational Soon In 2023

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) is all set to operationalise the first phase – Aarey to BKC – of the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro-3 Corridor this 2023.

“We will roll the first phase of Metro Line-3 from Aarey to BKC, this 2023. MMRC received all the eight coaches of the second train only yesterday which will be assembled and put to trial runs soon. It is also significant to note that the first train has already undergone all dynamic and static tests through the trial runs of more than 1,500-kms. Successfully,” said Ashwini Bhide, MD, MMRC.

The second 8-coach train, also manufactured in the Alstom Plant, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, arrived in Mumbai on 29 December, 2022, will also undergo the required mandatory tests in a five km stretch between the ramp at Sariput Nagar and Sahar.

All the eight coaches, weighing 42-tonne each have traversed 1,400 km, from Andhra Pradesh, in ten days by special 8-axelled trailers with 64 wheels.

According to MMRC, there have been a few major milestones that MMRC achieved through 2022.

“MMRC completed the entire tunnelling of 54.5-km – up and down line – on 30 November, 2022. We required 17 tunnel boring machines (TBM) and 1,700 workmen to complete 100 per cent tunnelling for the 33.5-km long corridor”, said Mr. S. K. Gupta, Director (Projects), MMRC.

A total of 2,86,000 cubic metres of concrete and 29,500 metric tonnes of steel was used for the huge task. Also 50 per cent of track laying work has been completed.

“The train trials with various tests – static and dynamic – are going on very regularly. 53 per cent of Overhead Contact System (OCS), installation of 88 per cent of Power Supply System has been completed. Besides this progress, in all 105 escalators, 19 lifts, 10 Platform Screen Doors and 12 Passenger Information Display systems have been installed at various stations and the work is in full swing,” said A A Bhatt, Director (Systems), MMRC.

Mumbai Metro Line 3

Metro Line 3 is a 33.5 km long underground corridor running along Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ. The corridor length is marked with 27 key stations, out of which 26 will be underground.

Metro Line 3 would connect Mumbai’s key financial hubs, such as Nariman Point, Bandra-Kurla-Complex, Fort, Worli, Lower Parel, Goregaon, etc. The metro will provide for the first time connectivity to the airport, Nariman Point, Cuffe Parade, Kalbadevi, Worli, BKC, Airport, SEEPZ and MIDC.

Besides, two crucial heritage stations of Mumbai, i.e. CSTM and Churchgate, will also get joined through the alignment.