The excitement is akin to waiting for the first seed to sprout in a new field. The prolonged, laborious effort beneath the soil is about to bear fruit, as a portion of the city’s first underground Metro rail corridor is slated to start operations on Sunday after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the day before. An air-conditioned ride for Rs 10-50 that saves hours in commuting time, and links office districts to the airport, can only be described as a boon for the megapolis.
“The launch of Phase I (Aarey JVLRBKC) of the Metro 3 corridor has the potential to change the travel patterns of commuters who currently endure severe hardship as they navigate the congested Western Express Highway, or struggle to board local trains,” said SK Gupta, director (projects), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL). “Also, this is the only line offering a direct connection to the airport, with separate stations for the international and domestic terminals.”
Despite being a truncated corridor, the Metro 3 line touches key destinations such as both terminals of the airport, BKC , and important business districts in Andheri (East), including Sahar, Seepz, Marol, and MIDC. “BKC is set to become a major hub, with ridership expected to exceed one lakh soon after the corridor opens,” said MMRCL director (planning & non-fare revenue) R Ramanna. Over 6.4 lakh people commute daily to BKC, including those connected with the diamond industry (see graphic), but the existing transit options do not reduce travel time, congestion, and air pollution. Also, it takes nearly an hour to travel from BKC to Kurla by bus, prompting many to prefer walking over using overcrowded buses.
An MMRDA official said, “Commuters heading to BKC will now likely prefer the Metro rail, because they can interchange with Metro 1. Many will also use Metro 3 to reach Santacruz or the domestic airport, from where they can continue to Santacruz or Vile Parle railway stations to board local trains. Some may even head to Line 7’s Gundavali station from the airport using road transport.”
The 12.5 km corridor will feature 10 stations, with trains running between BKC and Aarey JVLR. Notably, Marol station is set to emerge as a key interchange, linking with Marol Naka station on the Metro 1 line (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar). Ashwini Bhide, managing director of MMRCL, which is overseeing the Metro 3 project, said, “The most significant connection in Phase I will be at Marol, where the station is located directly beneath the Line 1 Marol Naka station, with entry/exit gates of both lines positioned close to each other.”
Many commuters who use the main line on Central Railway (CR) will likely disembark at Ghatkopar and switch to Metro 3via Marol to reach BKC, rather than travel by road from Kurla. A Metro 1 official said, “We have expanded the passageways to accommodate more commuters, added extra security checkpoints, and increased the number of fare collection gates. We will closely monitor the flow of commuters to ensure smooth movement.”
According to sources, Marol Naka station on Line 1 currently handles around 40,000 riders daily, a number expected to reach 75,000 in the coming months and possibly a lakh within a couple of years. The official cited the example of DN Nagar and Western Express Highway stations on Line 1, where ridership doubled from 20,000 to 40,000 daily following the commissioning of Lines 2A and 7 (Andheri WestDahisar-Gundavali). Bhide said, “We expect significant footfall at the airport stations as well.”
The traffic police anticipate a relief from congestion. “Commuters travelling from Western or Central Railway to BKC or Seepz will be able to use the Metro to alight closer to their offices. These are business hubs, home to banks, MNCs... Metro will help decongest roads, reducing autos, taxis and cars,” said joint commissioner of traffic, Anil Kumbhare. The traffic police also expect that with the launch of Metro 3, both JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Western Express Highway (WEH) will experience some relief, allowing traffic jams to be unclogged more quickly.
Some are critical about a perceived lack of seamless integration with feeder routes. Transport expert Dhawal Ashar emphasized the importance of offering alternative modes of transport.
“The entire Metro system, integrated seamlessly with other modes, will provide much-needed alternatives,” said Ashar, programme head (integrated transport) at World Resources Institute (WRI). He explained that while many commuters walk to their destinations from suburban railway stations in South Mumbai, this isn't feasible in BKC due to the distance from surrounding stations — Bandra, Kurla, and Sion. “As a result, autos and buses bear the brunt of the transport load, especially during peak hours. Even the best traffic management measures can only do so much in such a situation. The upcoming Metro lines passing through BKC have the potential to significantly change current travel dynamics.”
(With inputs from Bella Jaisinghani)
“The launch of Phase I (Aarey JVLRBKC) of the Metro 3 corridor has the potential to change the travel patterns of commuters who currently endure severe hardship as they navigate the congested Western Express Highway, or struggle to board local trains,” said SK Gupta, director (projects), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL). “Also, this is the only line offering a direct connection to the airport, with separate stations for the international and domestic terminals.”
Despite being a truncated corridor, the Metro 3 line touches key destinations such as both terminals of the airport, BKC , and important business districts in Andheri (East), including Sahar, Seepz, Marol, and MIDC. “BKC is set to become a major hub, with ridership expected to exceed one lakh soon after the corridor opens,” said MMRCL director (planning & non-fare revenue) R Ramanna. Over 6.4 lakh people commute daily to BKC, including those connected with the diamond industry (see graphic), but the existing transit options do not reduce travel time, congestion, and air pollution. Also, it takes nearly an hour to travel from BKC to Kurla by bus, prompting many to prefer walking over using overcrowded buses.
An MMRDA official said, “Commuters heading to BKC will now likely prefer the Metro rail, because they can interchange with Metro 1. Many will also use Metro 3 to reach Santacruz or the domestic airport, from where they can continue to Santacruz or Vile Parle railway stations to board local trains. Some may even head to Line 7’s Gundavali station from the airport using road transport.”
The 12.5 km corridor will feature 10 stations, with trains running between BKC and Aarey JVLR. Notably, Marol station is set to emerge as a key interchange, linking with Marol Naka station on the Metro 1 line (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar). Ashwini Bhide, managing director of MMRCL, which is overseeing the Metro 3 project, said, “The most significant connection in Phase I will be at Marol, where the station is located directly beneath the Line 1 Marol Naka station, with entry/exit gates of both lines positioned close to each other.”
Many commuters who use the main line on Central Railway (CR) will likely disembark at Ghatkopar and switch to Metro 3via Marol to reach BKC, rather than travel by road from Kurla. A Metro 1 official said, “We have expanded the passageways to accommodate more commuters, added extra security checkpoints, and increased the number of fare collection gates. We will closely monitor the flow of commuters to ensure smooth movement.”
According to sources, Marol Naka station on Line 1 currently handles around 40,000 riders daily, a number expected to reach 75,000 in the coming months and possibly a lakh within a couple of years. The official cited the example of DN Nagar and Western Express Highway stations on Line 1, where ridership doubled from 20,000 to 40,000 daily following the commissioning of Lines 2A and 7 (Andheri WestDahisar-Gundavali). Bhide said, “We expect significant footfall at the airport stations as well.”
The traffic police anticipate a relief from congestion. “Commuters travelling from Western or Central Railway to BKC or Seepz will be able to use the Metro to alight closer to their offices. These are business hubs, home to banks, MNCs... Metro will help decongest roads, reducing autos, taxis and cars,” said joint commissioner of traffic, Anil Kumbhare. The traffic police also expect that with the launch of Metro 3, both JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Western Express Highway (WEH) will experience some relief, allowing traffic jams to be unclogged more quickly.
Some are critical about a perceived lack of seamless integration with feeder routes. Transport expert Dhawal Ashar emphasized the importance of offering alternative modes of transport.
“The entire Metro system, integrated seamlessly with other modes, will provide much-needed alternatives,” said Ashar, programme head (integrated transport) at World Resources Institute (WRI). He explained that while many commuters walk to their destinations from suburban railway stations in South Mumbai, this isn't feasible in BKC due to the distance from surrounding stations — Bandra, Kurla, and Sion. “As a result, autos and buses bear the brunt of the transport load, especially during peak hours. Even the best traffic management measures can only do so much in such a situation. The upcoming Metro lines passing through BKC have the potential to significantly change current travel dynamics.”
(With inputs from Bella Jaisinghani)
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