The first train trials of the Yellow Line, also known as Metro 2B, will begin on April 16. A 5.4-kilometre stretch of the line has been electrically charged. This means the overhead cables between Mandale in Mankhurd and Diamond Garden in Chembur are now carrying electricity.
This Metro line will be the first to serve the eastern suburbs since Blue Line 1 started from Ghatkopar ten years ago. The other three Metro lines operate in the western suburbs.
The five stations ready for the run are Diamond Garden, Shivaji Chowk, BSNL Metro, Mankhurd, and Mandale Metro. The route also crosses the Mumbai Monorail near Chembur. The line faced long delays after the systems tender had to be reissued.
The operation for this line was originally planned for December 2025. Interestingly, April 16 also marks 172 years since trains first ran in Mumbai. It is also the day Indian Railways was founded.
The trains on this line are built by Bharat Earth Movers Limited. They have six coaches each. The first train sets arrived at the Mandale depot in Mankhurd on November 11, 2023.
These coaches are made in India with full steel bodies. They have energy-saving brakes and four doors on each side. The trains allow passengers to carry bicycles. They also include mobile charging ports, security cameras, and announcement systems.
Before opening to the public, the trains will go through several tests. These include basic checks for the track, signalling, and power systems. Later, the trains will run with dummy weights to simulate real passengers. The Metro Railway Safety Commissioner will supervise the final trial.
Once this first section is complete, the second phase will link Chembur to DN Nagar in Andheri. This stretch will have 14 stations and will connect with Yellow Line 2A. The full 18.2-kilometre line is expected to be ready by December 2026.