Mumbai, 15 October 2024. In less than a week of inauguration, the Mumbai Metro Line 3 has experienced an excellent ridership of 1.55 lakh commuters, making it another significant landmark of this great city’s public transport infrastructure. From Aarey to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) through a subterranean stretch of 12.44 km, this metro railway turns out to be a game-changer for Mumbaikars and only a sigh of relief in the notorious traffic congestion of the city.
Commercial Operation of Metro Line 3
The underground metro under Phase 1 commenced its commercial journey on October 4, 2024, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ridership in the initial few days was steady and steady, the count of commuters from Day 1, which was 18,015, went up to 25,782 by October 13, with a growth of 43.11%. This again shows the increased number of people who wish to travel using the efficient public transport system in Mumbai.
According to project data available from Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL, convenience, speed, and affordability associated with this line have been among the major driving factors for its rapid adoption. The Aarey-BKC route now takes only 30 minutes, while it used to take more than an hour by road during the peak timing of the Western Express Highway (WEH).
Frequent Services for Busy Commuters
The metro is well-equipped to satisfy the busy workforce of a working city, covering daily 96 trips between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm on weekdays, and service starting from 8:30 am in weekends. Trains run every 6.5 minutes during peak hours, thus making this one highly convenient transportation vehicle that offers minimal waiting periods.
The fare structure is reasonable, and the one-way fare would fall somewhere in the middle Rs 10 to Rs 50, so that makes it quite cost-effective for a daily commuter.
Phase 1 Marks a Key Milestone
Completion of Phase 1 between Aarey and BKC marks a very crucial milestone in the long underground 33.5km stretch for Metro Line 3 connecting Colaba to SEEPZ when fully completed. Through this alone, it is expected to lighten traffic congestion significantly on major roads, including WEH, which often becomes bottleneck during rush hours.
Future Development Plans
In addition to the success the MMRCL has achieved on the operational front, the organization announced further plans for its urban development. The agency floated bids to develop a prime plot at Nariman Point on a long-term lease basis. The request for proposal (RFP) tender for the plots was floated Monday. The pre-bid meeting is slated for October 28. The corporation of MMRCL will conduct roadshows in major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi; internationally as well to attract investors.
The Future
Development and expansion of Mumbai’s metro network are imminent, and the Metro Line 3 is going to transform how people in the city commute-speedier, cleaner, and more efficient. Increasing ridership on the line day by day, Mumbaikars are already looking forward to further connectivity into the metropolitan region as more phases in the future unfurl.
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