Mumbai Eyes New Underground Metro As Aqua Line Nears Completion

As Mumbai counts down to launching the long-awaited 33.5 km Aqua Line 3 in August, the city is already planning its next major underground metro corridor.

As per a Hindustan Times report, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) has formally submitted a proposal to the Maharashtra government for Metro Line 11, a crucial stretch intended to ease congestion across south Mumbai’s dense urban landscape.

According to MMRCL’s detailed project report, Line 11 will run for 17.5 km from Anik Depot to the Gateway of India, passing through busy areas such as Nagpada and Bhendi Bazaar.

Like the Aqua Line, it will have only one surface-level station at Anik Depot, with the remainder of the route underground.

“We have submitted the proposal to the state government for the initial clearance. Once it receives the nod, it will be forwarded to the union government,” a senior MMRCL official was quoted as saying.

The process involves clearance from the state’s Urban Development Department (UDD), before heading to the Union Ministry of Urban Development for final approval.

Once funding, either domestic or international is secured, the project will seek environmental and other statutory clearances. Infrastructure firms will then be appointed through competitive bidding to execute construction.

The plan includes an initial six-coach train fleet, housed at a depot spread over 16 hectares at Anik-Pratiksha Nagar BEST bus depot, ensuring integration with Mumbai’s bus network.

Line 11 is designed to intersect with key existing routes, including Metro Lines 4 and 3, the Monorail, and major railway stations like Byculla and CSMT.

Of the 13 underground stations planned, eight will be built using the “cut and cover” technique, while five will rely on the New Austrian Tunnelling Method.

MMRCL projects daily ridership to reach 580,000 by 2031 and nearly 870,000 by 2041. Further details on tenders and timelines will emerge once official approvals are secured.

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