Mumbai’s first fully underground metro corridor will become operational across its entire route as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the final 10.99-kilometre stretch between Acharya Atre Chowk and Cuffe Parade stations in the Maharashtra city on Wednesday during his two-day visit.
The 33.5-km Aqua Line (Metro Line 3), which runs from Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai to Aarey JVLR in Goregaon, is entirely underground. Two segments – Aarey JVLR to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and BKC to Acharya Atre Chowk – are already operational.
During his two-day visit to Mumbai, PM Modi will inaugurate Phase 2B of Metro Line 3, connecting Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade.
On the same day, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport and deliver an address as well.
Alongside, he will also launch “Mumbai One”, a common mobility app integrating various public transport systems across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), according to a Press India Bureau (PIB) release.
11 underground stations
The final stretch of the Aqua Line will add 11 new underground stations that are expected to improve connectivity to South Mumbai’s heritage precinct, key government offices, and business districts. This segment has been constructed at an estimated cost of ₹12,195 crore.
Phase 2B provides integration with the Central Railway at Mumbai CSMT and with the Western Railway at Mumbai Central and Churchgate, enhancing access to financial hubs like the RBI and BSE, as well as business districts such as Fort, Nariman Point, and Kalbadevi.
The complete Aqua Line – built at a total cost of over ₹37,270 crore – marks a major milestone in Mumbai’s public transport landscape.
“As Mumbai’s first and only fully underground metro line, this project is set to redefine commuting across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), offering a faster, more efficient, and modern transit solution for millions of residents,” the PIB release reads.
“Metro Line 3 is expected to reduce the load of suburban Railway by 15 per cent,” Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) stated.
It added that the line will result in 3.54 lakh litres of fuel saved daily, 6.65 lakh fewer vehicular trips, and will help reduce traffic congestion and noise pollution.
Aqua Line
The Aqua Line, with 27 stations, offers direct connectivity from Cuffe Parade to Aarey JVLR, including access to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from South Mumbai.
According to the MMRCL, over 23,000 trees have been planted under compensatory plantation efforts, with mangrove restoration projects underway. The project also involved the rehabilitation of 1,941 families in ownership flats and 733 families in temporary accommodations.
In a national first, construction of the Aqua Line saw the simultaneous deployment of 17 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) – a record in Indian underground construction.
Once fully operational, commuters will be able to travel between Cuffe Parade and Aarey JVLR in approximately one hour, a journey that currently takes between 1 to 2 hours, depending on road traffic.
The corridor will improve access to half a dozen business hubs, 30 educational institutions, 13 hospitals, 14 religious sites, and 30 recreational centres. It is expected to cater to 13 lakh commuters daily, providing seamless metro access between South Mumbai and the northern suburbs, and easing travel to government, business, and cultural destinations.
Navi Mumbai airport
The Prime Minister, at around 3:30 pm on Wednesday, will inaugurate the Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which has been built at a cost of around Rs. 19,650 crores.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India’s largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public–Private Partnership (PPP), as per PIB. It will be the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, working in tandem with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to ease congestion and elevate Mumbai into the league of global multi-airport systems.
The airport, designed to be among the most efficient in the world, will eventually handle nine crore passengers annually (MPPA) and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.
NMIA will also be the first airport in the country to be connected by Water Taxi.
At around 10 am On October 9, PM Modi will host United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Mumbai.