Mumbai Metro Line 3: Don’t set off to airport yet

Passengers on their way to the airport after alighting from the Metro at the T2 station. Pic/Ashish Raje

Here's what has been planned for the future at the T2 Aqua Line station and why it is not advisable to take the Aqua Line with heavy trolley bags at this stage: it is nearly a 14-minute walk to the arrival/departure entry gate of the international airport from the time one steps out of the Aqua Line.

MID-DAY timed the walk from the moment of stepping out of the train to reaching the arrival/departure lounge (near the auto stand) of the airport. It is a half-kilometre walk that takes just over 14 minutes from both sides.

The passengers alight at the T2 Metro station, and set on the journey from the time of stepping out of the train, walking the concourse, climbing up the escalators to the road and beyond till the arrival departure lounge of the international airport from the A2 entry of the Sahar Cargo Complex entry. Pics/Ashish Raje

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Currently, there are two entry/exit points at the T2 station. Once out of the train, one has to climb to the concourse level. The concourse is massive and has turnstiles for exiting, after which one needs to go down a 20-metre-high escalator to reach road level. At this point, there are two entry/exit points: one towards the Sahar Cargo complex and the bus stop outside the airport.

Entry/Exit A2 near Sahar Cargo Complex: After stepping out and taking a left turn, one reaches the airport bus stop. A further three-minute walk parallel to the auto stand leads to the arrival/departure entry point of the airport. The total time taken from stepping out of the train to walking through the Aqua station premises, climbing multiple escalators, and walking to the road is approximately 14.45 minutes.

Entry/Exit B1 near the Yellow Fever Hospital/Sahar Police Station: This is a long walkway with a temporary ramp connecting it to the road. Construction for two other metro stations (Red Line 7 and Gold Line 8) is in progress on either side of the temporary walkway, along with a multi-level parking facility.

The exit drops one near the taxi queue point of arrivals after a 150-metre walk outside the exit. The total time taken to walk from the airport entry point, through the two temporary walkways, across the Aqua station premises, down the escalator, and to the platform is about 14.20 minutes.

Not advisable: Given the massive station concourse, moving around with luggage or trolley bags is not advisable, as there are rough stretches of road and barricades. The entry/exit is on the road outside the airport, which may not be suitable for senior citizens. Inside the airport, there is no guidance for navigating to the new Metro line, and there is a lack of clear directions and signage.

What has been planned: Construction for two lines is underway, and only after the work on Line 7A at the airport is complete will this line provide easy access of just 70 metres. However, this is almost two years away. While tunnelling is expected to be completed by 2024, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is targeting December 2026 as the completion date for Metro Line 7A, which will connect to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Authorities mentioned that while Line 7 may have a deadline of 2026, the peripheral works for access pathways to the Aqua Line could be ready earlier, by the end of 2025, to alleviate inconvenience.