Mumbai Metro 3 To be Operational By August After Final Phase Testing Ends

 According to several media reports, the Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) will start trials next week. These trials are an essential step before gaining permission from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS). According to the reports, Metro 3 is anticipated to be open to the public by the end of July or the middle of August this year.

On the stretch from Aarey to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the RDSO crew started the inspection procedure. In order to ensure seamless operations, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) is also obtaining the extra permissions and safety certificates that are required. Nine rakes, each consisting of eight vehicles, will be needed to complete the Aarey to BKC route in the first phase. After this, a 9.63-kilometre extension from BKC to Acharya Atre Marg in Worli is close to completion.

On March 12, this year, Mumbai Metro Line 3 trials started. Various systems, like rolling stock (coach), signal telecommunications, track traction, etc., were checked during the trial runs that were carried out between Bandra Kurla Complex and Aarey.

Integrated trial runs for #Metro3 has been commenced. Various systems like rolling stock (coach), signal telecommunications, tracks traction etc., are being validated during the trial runs which is being carried out between #BKC to #Aarey

After completion of trials and… pic.twitter.com/Mqk7lYxW25

— MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) March 12, 2024

MMRC began setting up the tools and apparatus required to carry out oscillation trials, which are intended to gauge the metro line's performance. These trials, which should take a few days, will produce data that is essential for the following stages. Following the conclusion of these trials, the MMRC will request an official line inspection from the CMRS.

Trains reversing towards BKC would be made easier with the crossing at Acharya Atre Chowk. Additionally, the analysis said that waiting for the Kalbadevi and Girgaon stations to be completed is not necessary. Trains had already been tested at 85–90 kmph in earlier experiments.

Metro Line 3, which stretches 33.5 km, is an essential north-south route that would link 10 transportation hubs, 30 office complexes, 6 commercial suburbs, 12 educational facilities, 11 major hospitals, and both of Mumbai's airports. This vast network will significantly improve connections and cut down on travel time around the city. Thirteen rakes, which will be kept at the Aarey depot, will be needed for the line. The second and third phases of the services between BKC and Cuffe Parade, which are scheduled to launch concurrently, will come after the first.

Catch a glimpse of #AareyCarDepot in the making. All the major civil and systems works including aarey station building, shunting track area, Operation Control Centre (OCC) building, maintenance workshop, Pre-Engineered Building (PEB), track work, Mechanical Electrical & Plumbing… pic.twitter.com/hdQZGxi3Kg

— MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) March 15, 2024

The corridor will be opened in three phases as part of MMRCL's phased approach: Phase I will cover Seepz-BKC, Phase II will expand to Worli, and Phase III will reach Cuffe Parade. 

With a hefty price tag of INR 37,000 crore, the project is expected to begin operations in Phase 1 between Aarey and BKC by the end of July or the middle of August. Later, by October, Phases II and III, which cover BKC to Cuffe Parade, should be operational. Eight stations from Seepz to BKC make up phase one, and six stations from Dharavi to Worli will make up phase two. The route's third phase, which runs between Worli and Cuffe Parade, will include eleven stations.

The successful conclusion of these trials and other safety approvals will represent a significant turning point in Mumbai's public transport system as the project moves forward. The Metro Line 3 project is expected to reduce traffic, offer quicker options for transportation, and enhance commuter's experiences overall.