Mumbai: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) is gearing up to open another phase of the Metro 3 network by March 2025, extending services to Acharya Atre Chowk station in Worli. This will mark a significant milestone as it introduces metro connectivity to Mumbai’s island city.
The new phase will cover six crucial stations — Dharavi, Shitladevi, Dadar, Siddhi Vinayak, Worli, and Acharya Atre Chowk station. These areas are key urban hubs, attracting high footfalls due to the presence of educational institutions, religious landmarks, bustling commercial zones, and corporate offices. The extended connectivity is expected to significantly enhance public transport accessibility in these high-density areas.
Speaking about the progress, MMRC’s director of projects, S K Gupta, said, “We are planning to open this 9.7km section by March 2025. The works related to laying of tracks and the Overhead Catenary System (OHE) have already been completed, and the remaining works of architectural finishes and other systems, including signalling works, will be installed soon.”
The MMRC has already started trial runs, bringing trains to Acharya Atre Chowk station. Gupta added, “Trains are now operational in both up and down directions for collecting data for software updates.”
To ensure timely commissioning, the MMRC has begun preparations to move an application before the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS). The final approval from the CMRS will be essential before the section can be officially opened to public. However, the approval process is expected to be faster this time, as the rolling stock was already cleared during Phase I trials for the Aarey-Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR)-BKC section.
MMRC is simultaneously finalising operational details for the new phase, including deployment of rakes and scheduling of train services. Phase I of the Metro 3 network, which commenced operations on Oct 5, 2024, currently records a daily ridership of about 22,000. However, the MMRC expects this number to rise significantly as the metro extends its reach to the island city. Meanwhile, CM Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the Legislative Council on Thu, announced that the next segment, connecting BKC to Colaba, is expected to open by May 2025.
