Mumbai's first underground Metro rail corridor The excitement is akin to waiting for the first seed to sprout in a new field. The prolonged, laborious effort beneath the soil is about to bear fruit, as a portion of the city’s first underground Metro rail corridor is slated to start operations on Sunday after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the day before. An air-conditioned ride for Rs 10-50 that saves hours in commuting time, and links office districts to the airport, can only be described as a boon for the megapolis. “The launch of Phase I (Aarey JVLRBKC) of the Metro 3 corridor has the potential to change the travel patterns of commuters who currently endure severe hardship as they navigate the congested Western Express Highway, or struggle to board local trains,” said SK Gupta, director (projects), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL). “Also, this is the only line offering a direct connection to the airport, with separate stations for the international and domestic terminals.” Despite being a truncated corridor, the Metro 3 line touches key destinations such as both terminals of the airport, BKC, and important business districts in Andheri (East), including Sahar, Seepz, Marol, and MIDC. “BKC is set to become a major hub, with ridership expected to exceed one lakh soon after the corridor opens,” said MMRCL director (planning & non-fare revenue) R Ramanna. Over 6.4 lakh people commute daily to BKC, including those connected with the diamond industry (see graphic), but the existing transit options do not reduce travel time, congestion, and air pollution. Also, it takes nearly an hour to travel from BKC to Kurla by bus, prompting many to prefer walking over using overcrowded buses.
