09 August,2024 06:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Work going on last month on Phase 1 of the Metro Aqua Line-Aarey-BKC stretch, which is expected to be opened in September. Pic/Ashish Raje
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Drawing closer to its opening, Mumbai's first underground Metro Aqua Line 3 announced that it had completed fire inspections for Phase 1 of its commissioning. Besides, testing of its various electrical systems is currently on and by next week, the plan is to submit applications to the commissioner Railway Metro Safety for mandatory safety certification and public commissioning.
Phase one of the Metro Line 3 includes stations between Aarey and BKC.
A total 97 per cent work on Phase 1 of Aqua Line 3 has now been completed. Inspections of all stations under phase 1 have also been completed by the Fire Brigade department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the testing of electrical and all other systems is in the final stage," a senior official of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) said.
"By next week, MMRCL intends to submit an application to invite the Commissioner of Railway Metro Safety (CMRS) to check various safety aspects of metro systems," he explained.
"On 24 June, MMRC had successfully completed Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) trials of its rolling stock (trains)," he added.
Phase one of the Metro Line 3 between Aarey and BKC is slated to open in September 2024 and phase two between BKC to Colaba in December 2024. The first phase of Aarey to BKC stretch has ten stations and there will be nine trains for use. Seven of these trains will be in active passenger service as one of these trains would undergo regular maintenance while one train would remain as stand-by.
While the first phase requires nine trains, the entire operation, including phase two, will require 31 trains. The detailed plan of phase one includes running 260 round trip services (130 Aarey to BKC and 130 between BKC to Aarey) with operational time of 6 am to 11 pm (based on passenger response).
Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 is 33.5-km between Colaba and SEEPZ. Once fully operational, the line is expected to serve an estimated daily passenger capacity of 1.7 million. It will connect with eight railway stations, MSRTC bus depot, and Metro Yellow Line 2B and Blue Line 1. Out of 27 stations on the line, 26 will be underground. The Metro Aqua Line 3 project is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the total project cost, revised to Rs 37,276 crore as approved by the Union government in February this year, includes a JICA loan of Rs 21,280 crore.
