Mumbai Metro Line 3: Trial run of Ingenuity zooms to success
MUMBAI — The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) reached a milestone towards the completion of Metro Line 3 project on Feb. 28, 2025, when it successfully conducted full trial run on the new line The train went underground between Acharya Atre Chowk and Cuffe Parade. Mumbai's traffic woes: This test shows the system is ready to deliver. It's a major advance for the city's first completely underground metro.
The trial run was conducted on a 10.99-km stretch in south Mumbai. It was nice to see the trains, tracks, and stations working together. The Aqua Line, or Metro Line 3, is a 33.5-kilometer route from Aarey to Cuffe Parade. The MMRC has a target to complete the entire line by July 2025. Once completed, it will link crowded areas such as Bandra-Kurla Complex and Nariman Point. Will enable millions more to travel faster every day.
Phase 1 between Aarey and Bandra-Kurla Complex was launched in October 2024. Today it has about 22,000 daily riders. The latest test was a Phase 2B, which reached Cuffe Parade. The MMRC said that this run is a demonstration that the metro should be able to manage the full route in the near future. “We are lining up for a launch in July,” said S. K. Gupta, MMRC’s director of projects. “This trial shows that we’re paying off our hard work.” It will include 27 stations, 26 of which will be underground. 8 trains every 4 minutes during peak hours
The roads and local train networks of Mumbai are packed. Metro Line 3 might change that. It is designed to accommodate 1.3 million riders a day. The trial run also put the system under the Mithi River, a tricky spot. The MMRC had used special machines to dig tunnels there safely. With this success, the metro is all set for a smoother ride for Mumbaikars. It’s part of a larger scheme to expand the city’s metro system to more than 50 kilometers a year.
What’s next? Now, the MMRC will test signals and safety systems. They will seek final approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety. The goal is to open the full Aqua Line by mid-2025 if all goes to plan. This could reduce travel time throughout Mumbai and decongest traffic jams. Commuters are looking forward to a faster, cooler way to get around. The metro may also help throng areas that it will connect, like Cuffe Parade and SEEPZ.