The idea to build the Mumbai Metro, with the purpose of providing alternate transport facility to Mumbaikars, started taking reality in 2006, when the foundation stone for phase-I, according to the Mumbai Metro map was set. However, operational and policy bottlenecks caused the Mumbai metro routes to be delayed. There are now only three Mumbai Metro routes in operation. Two of them are new metro lines in Mumbai.
On January 19, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Mumbai Metro lines 2A and 7 to the nation. Modi rode the metro from Gundivali train station to Mogra and back. In 2015, the Prime Minister laid the groundwork for these two lines.
Mumbai Metro will also be compatible with the National Common Mobility Card, which conforms to the One Nation, One Card approach. From October 2022, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun trial runs for these two metro lines. When both sections of the Mumbai Metro lines – Line 2A and Line 7 – are fully operational, they shall carry close to 3 lakh passengers.
The projected cost of the Line 2A Mumbai metro project is Rs 6,410 crore. Lines 2 A and 7 in Mumbai will feature two interchanges, one at Dahisar and the other at DN Nagar metro station, with the existing Mumbai Metro Line 1. (Ghatkopar and Versova). The Mumbai 1 mobile app introduced will have all Mumbai metro related information and also help in buying tickets online by payment using UPI.Â
The first phase of the Mumbai metro routes ‘Metro 2A’ (Dahisar to DN Nagar) and ‘Metro 7’ (Dahisar East to Andheri East), was made operational for passengers on April 2, 2022. Every day, more than 3 lakh commuters are projected to use the new metro lines. The first section of the new Mumbai Metro 2A route is from Dahisar to Dahanykarwadi, and the first phase of the new Mumbai Metro 7 route is from Dahisar to Aarey colony.
There would be 11 trains of six coaches operating for both Mumbai metro corridors, with 8 or 9 of them operational and the others on standby. The Mumbai metro trains will run every 10 minutes and will be operational for about 19 hours a day.
On February 22, 2022, approximately 50% of the statutory inspection of the delayed Phase 1 of Mumbai metro corridors 2A and 7 between Dahanukarwadi and Aarey was completed by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS). The inspection includes a look at the railway assets, including signalling, OHE, civil works, stations, and platforms. On March 25, 2022, the Mumbai Metro received its safety certificate.
Metro Routes
Line 1
This operating route connects Versova to Ghatkopar through Andheri and is also known as the Blue Line on the Mumbai metro map. The Mumbai metro route connects significant locations in the western suburbs with the central suburbs, making it one of the city’s most popular modes of transportation. This 11.4-kilometre-long Mumbai metro track is entirely elevated.
Line 2
This 42-kilometre-long Mumbai metro route, often known as the Yellow Line, is divided into two sections: Mumbai Metro line 2A and Mumbai Metro line 2B.
The Mumbai Metro line 2A segment will be an 18-kilometre corridor connecting Dahisar-Charkop-DN Nagar with 17 Mumbai metro stations. Because of community requests for location-specific metro stations, the MMRDA renamed 15 of the 17 stations. According to the MMRDA list, two stations whose names have not been altered are Dahisar East Metro station and Eksar Metro station.
The 2B section will be 23.5 kilometres long and will connect DN Nagar, BKC, and Mankhurd. This project is expected to cost roughly Rs 17,000 crores. The first leg of the 2A Mumbai metro route of 9.5 km began operations on April 2, 2022, and connects Dahisar, Anand Nagar, Kandarpada, IC Colony, Eksar, Borivali West, Pahadi Eksar, Kandivali West, and Dhanukarwadi with 9 stations.
Line 3
Line 3 of the Mumbai Metro, also known as the Aqua Line, is 33.5 kilometres long and totally underground, connecting Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai to SEEPZ and Aarey in north Mumbai. It includes 26 underground Mumbai metro stations and one at-grade station. This Mumbai metro route will also travel through the Mumbai Airport, enhancing regional connectivity.
The overall cost of constructing this route was formerly estimated to be Rs 23,136 crores. The Maharashtra cabinet approved additional funding of Rs 10,269 crore for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 project on August 10, 2022, citing cost inflation, bringing the total cost to Rs 33,405 crore.
Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) is funding Metro Line 3 with new costs, JICA’s contribution will rise from Rs 13,235 crore to Rs 19,924 crore. By 2031, 17 lakh passengers are expected to travel daily on Metro Line 3. The tunnel work has been finished to 98.6 percent, while station work has been completed to 82.6 percent. A total of 73.14 hectares of government property and 2.56 hectares of private land have been acquired.
The Aqua Line, also known as the Mumbai Metro Line 3, was inaugurated at Sariput Nagar in Aarey Colony by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Construction work has begun to connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal’ (CSMT) ancient subway to Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3. MMRCL has already erected barricades in front of the subway at the entry site near Canon.
Aqua Line will connect at eight public transportation hubs, increasing connectivity. Mumbai CSMT and Churchgate termini, Grant Road and Mumbai Central railway stations, Dadar MSRTC bus depot, Mahalakshmi monorail, and Mumbai Metro Lines 1 and 2B are among them. Furthermore, the dynamic and static testing of the initial design proving train trial runs for Mumbai Metro Line 3 has been completed.
Line 4
Mumbai Metro Line 4, also known as the Green Line, would connect Kasarvadavali in Thane to Wadala in south-central Mumbai. This Mumbai metro route would improve connectivity between Mumbai and Thane while also relieving pressure on the local rail network. This project is projected to cost Rs 15,000 crores. The project is under construction.
Line 5
This 24-kilometre-long Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Metro-5 line, popularly known as the Orange Line, would be totally elevated and will include 17 Mumbai metro stations. It will cost Rs 8,416 crore to build. The Metro-5 route will eventually connect with the Metro-4 Wadala-Thane-Kasarwadavli line and the Metro-11 Taloja-Kalyan corridor.
Line 6
This Mumbai metro route, also known as the Pink Line, would connect the western and eastern suburbs and will be the second west-east metro corridor after the already functioning Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar portion. The 14.5-kilometre route will have 13 Mumbai metro stations.
Line 7
Mumbai Metro Line-7, also known as the Red Line, is a 33.5-kilometre-long Mumbai metro route that will connect Dahisar to Andheri and then to the Mumbai International Airport. The line would include 29 Mumbai metro stations, 14 of which will be elevated and the rest subterranean. The Mumbai metro route was scheduled to begin operations in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, slowed down the civil construction works. The second phase of Metro Line 7 construction is 98% complete.Â
The Phase 1 of Mumbai Metro Line 7 began operations on April 2, 2022, trials for phase 2 are planned to begin in October 2022, with commercial operations proposed to begin by the end of December 2022.
In addition, the MMRDA will construct a footbridge connecting the Goregaon station on Metro Line 7 to the Goregaon western railway station. MMRDA plans to open the Line 7 Mumbai metro project, which is expected to cost roughly Rs 6,208 crore, in January 2023.
Line 8
Line 8, also called the Gold Line, is a proposed Mumbai metro route connecting Mumbai Airport and Navi Mumbai Airport. The approved length of this Mumbai metro route is 32 kilometres, and the project will cost Rs 15,000 crores to build. On this route, eight metro stations have been proposed.
Line 9
Line 9 of the Mumbai Metro is an extension of Line 7 and Metro-2A. (Dahisar to DN Road). This corridor, which will connect Gaimukh and Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road or Metro-10 ), will cost Rs 3,600 crores. The Mumbai metro route was supposed to open in 2019; however, due to procedural issues, the date has been extended to October 2024.
Line 10, 11
Lines 10 and 11 of the Mumbai Metro are expansions of Line 4, often called as the Green Line. These lines will link Gaimukh and Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road), as well as Wadala to CSMT. PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the project in 2017. Work on these lines has begun.
Line 12
This Mumbai metro route is intended to be a continuation of Mumbai Metro Line 5. It will connect Kalyan and Taloja and improve connectivity throughout the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.
Line 13
This is a proposed Mumbai metro project that will link Mira Road and Virar. The cost of this 23-kilometre-long Mumbai metro route is anticipated to be over Rs. 6,900 crores. The comprehensive project report for this route is currently being developed. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2026. This will be referred to as the Purple Line.Â
Line 14
The Magenta Line is a Mumbai metro route that will connect Vikhroli with Kanjurmarg and thereafter to Ambernath-Badlapur. It shall have an interchange with Line 6, called the Pink Line. This project, which is also in the DPR state, will cost approximately Rs 13,500 crores. This Mumbai metro line is scheduled to open by 2026.
Conclusion
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is implementing the Mumbai Metro route network, which is being expanded beyond the Mumbai region.
At the moment, only one Mumbai metro route is completely operational, while two more are being phased in. In Mumbai, eight are under construction, and five metro lines have been approved. The first line opened in June 2014, the other two additional new metro lines began operations in April 2022. Mumbai has 14 metro lines, with two additional lines on the extension. Metro Line 2B (D N Nagar to Mandale), Metro Line 4 & 4A (Wadala-Kasarvadavali-Gaimukh), Metro Line 5 (Thane to Kalyan), Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli), and Metro Line 9 are all under development in Mumbai (Andheri to CSIA and Dahisar to Mira Bhayander). All of these Mumbai metro routes, according to MMRDA, have already initiated civil works and are projected to be completed by 2022-2024.
