Mumbai Metro 3, the 33.5-kilometre Aqua Line linking Cuffe Parade with Aarey JVLR, has crossed 7 crore passenger journeys during its first full year of operations, according to a report by the Times of India. The underground corridor connects key business districts, railway terminals and both terminals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
The line has 27 stations, including 26 underground stations and one at-grade station. It runs between south Mumbai and the northern end of the operational corridor, providing an end-to-end journey of about 54 to 60 minutes, the report said.
Metro 3 operates daily from 5:55 am to 10:30 pm, with peak-hour train frequencies reaching five minutes. Fares on the line range from Rs 10 to Rs 70. The service has been used by daily commuters, business travellers and air passengers during its first 365 days of operation.
A key feature of the Aqua Line is its connection to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The corridor provides direct underground access to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, linking the airport with several parts of south and central Mumbai without requiring passengers to depend entirely on surface road travel.
The line also provides interchange access to major suburban and outstation railway hubs, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Churchgate, Mumbai Central and Dadar. These links place Metro 3 within Mumbai’s wider public transport network rather than functioning as a standalone corridor.
The route connects the financial districts around Nariman Point and Vidhan Bhavan with the Bandra Kurla Complex, one of Mumbai’s major commercial centres. Its alignment passes beneath some of the city’s densest urban areas, where road-based travel is frequently affected by congestion.
The passenger milestone comes as the Aqua Line enters its second year of operations. The reported ridership figure provides an early indication of demand for high-capacity underground transport along a corridor serving employment centres, transport hubs and major commercial destinations.
The Times of India report also said the line has helped reduce reliance on surface road travel and vehicle emissions. Further operational performance and ridership trends will determine how the corridor develops within Mumbai’s broader public transport system during its second year.
