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CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the BKC-Worli section on 10 May, announcing that the entire 33.5 km Aqua Line from Colaba to SEEPZ is expected to be ready by August 2025.
Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3.
Mumbai’s newly launched underground Aqua Line 3 faced a serious hiccup on Wednesday when mobile network services from all operators went down across metro stations and trains.
The sudden network blackout caused serious disruption, especially during rush hour, leaving people unable to use mobile-based tickets, make phone calls, or complete digital payments, as per Free Press Journal.
Ticketing Trouble: Mobile Apps Go Down
The blackout created long queues at ticket vending machines, as commuters couldn’t access their e-tickets or pay digitally. Authorities quickly responded by putting up notices at stations, urging passengers to activate offline tickets using the metro app before entering the network.
The disruption has once again drawn attention to an ongoing dispute between the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) and telecom companies regarding mobile infrastructure inside the underground metro.
MMRCL Defends Its Move
Although MMRCL hasn’t made an official comment after this recent blackout, the corporation had earlier issued a statement defending its actions. According to MMRCL, it had selected a neutral telecom infrastructure provider through a fair and open tender process.
“This provider holds the proper licence and has already installed the necessary infrastructure. Telecom companies themselves had supported this through official letters. Claims of wrongdoing are completely false,” said the earlier MMRCL statement.
Aqua Line: All You Need To Know
The operational stretch between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Acharya Atre Chowk (Worli) features six underground stations and offers a 15-minute journey, with trains every 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
- 8 trains currently run on this corridor
- 244 daily trips are scheduled
- Fares range from Rs 10 to Rs 40, with the full 33.5-km route costing up to Rs 60.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had inaugurated this partial stretch on 10 May. The entire 33.5-km Aqua Line from Colaba to SEEPZ is expected to be operational by August, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate it.
The line will have 27 stations – 26 underground and one above ground.
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