Mumbai's first underground Metro gears up for partial launch in October
Phase one to run on a 12.44 km long stretch between Aarey Depot and BKC
 "Mumbai's first underground Metro gears up for partial launch in October")
Mumbai’s first-ever underground Metro is expected to begin operations in a phased manner starting in October, according to state agency officials. The Rs 37,276 crore project is likely to become fully operational in 2025.
The first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3, spanning 12.44 kilometres (km) between Aarey Depot and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), is set to commence operations by the first week of October, pending necessary clearances, officials at the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL) confirmed.
MMRCL is developing Mumbai Metro Line 3 in two phases: the first connects Aarey to BKC (12.44 km), and the second extends from BKC to Colaba (21.06 km). The combined phases are expected to cost Rs 37,276 crore, making it one of the city’s most expensive Metro stretches, surpassing the Rs 23,000 crore estimated in the detailed project report released in 2011.
Phase 2 of Mumbai Metro Line 3 is expected to be operational between March and May 2025. Once fully operational next year, the daily ridership is projected to reach 1.3 million passengers, with travel times reduced to 60 minutes.
Upon its inauguration in October, this stretch will join the list of recently completed projects in the city, including the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link, green-flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024, and the partially opened Coastal Road in March.
The Mumbai Metro Line 2A began operations in January 2023, also in Modi’s presence. As infrastructure projects often feature prominently in election campaigns, and with polls expected this year, these developments are of particular importance.
MMRCL officials have set ticket prices for the first phase between Rs 10 and Rs 50, with fares likely to rise to Rs 70 per passenger once the entire stretch is operational.
Mumbai Metro Line 3 will also include 150,000 square feet of commercial space across various stations, generating non-fare revenue.