Mumbai Metro 3 Sees Positive Response With Over 15,000 Passenger Footfall on Day 1

More than 8,500 passengers boarded Mumbai’s first underground metro, Metro Line 3 between 11 am and 6 pm on Monday, October 7. By 9 pm, the total passenger count reached 15,700. The first peak-hour rush began in the evening, with 7,000 commuters travelling in just three hours.

#AquaLine received enthusiastic response amid cheers on the first day of its operations. Here's a glimpse from the day. A total 18, 015 commuters travelled on the underground corridor today. Regular services start at 6:30 AM from tomorrow onwards 🚇🙌🏼#MumbaiOnTheGo#MetroRides… pic.twitter.com/u4th0grME4

— MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) October 7, 2024

After the services officially commenced, the reaction from commuters was mostly positive. However, there were some minor issues. 

Among the 10 stations that opened in the first phase, Marol Naka recorded the highest footfall. Some stations, like Sahar Road, CSMIA - T2 and T1, were mostly empty. However, people remained excited as they passed through the newly opened stations.

The metro will run from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm from today, October 8. The new metro saw heavy interest from the public. However, ticket vending machines had problems accepting large-value notes, and there was no option to use credit or debit cards. Some trains experienced slight delays, and metro officials quickly addressed these concerns.

Additionally, several trains were being moved to the yard for maintenance, and some technical issues with the trains were reported. Ongoing work was seen on many stations. For example, the lifts and automatic ticket machines were undergoing work.

This first phase of the Aqua Line connects major business and residential hubs. Important destinations include BKC, SEEPZ, and Marol Naka. The entire Aqua Line, when completed, is expected to offer 260 services and carry up to 17 lakh passengers daily. 

Since the metro runs underground, the stations are larger than those on other lines. Escalators are installed at each station. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) is also working on integrating other public transport options for last-mile connectivity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Aqua Line, connecting Aarey Colony-JVLR to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Saturday, October 5.