The newly opened Aqua Line of Mumbai Metro 3 has rolled out with a massive 128 entry and exit gates across its stations, making it the city’s most accessible rapid transit line yet.
Mid-Day brings you a guide of which entry/exit opens where. From Aarey in the north to Cuffe Parade in the south, the underground corridor passes through older neighbourhoods with multiple access points. Key hubs such as SEEPZ, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Dadar, Siddhivinayak, CSMT and Churchgate feature between six to eight gates each, connecting commuters directly to offices, residential colonies, railway stations and landmarks.
The southernmost terminal, Cuffe Parade, has four gates linking it with Navy Nagar, World Trade Centre and Colaba landmarks, while Vidhan Bhavan and Hutatma Chowk each boast eight exits, the highest on the line. The blown-up Google maps of location as well as key areas has been placed at every station for easier navigation.
Experts suggested the wide distribution of gates will reduce pressure on traditional hotspots like Dadar railway station and CSMT, by offering alternative entry and exit points for large volumes of passengers. But the key is that passengers should know the exact entry exit point, which will come with time as they get accustomed.
The start of Mumbai Metro Aqua Line marks the first time in decades when a rail-based transit system has been deployed in South Mumbai. The much-awaited Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3, running all the way to Cuffe Parade, marks the return of trains to the city’s southern tip, 95 years after the Colaba station on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (Western Railway) shut down.
With the inauguration of Mumbai Metro Aqua Line, mid-day also a took a look at how it will connect with Mumbai’s existing suburban railway stations and other public transport links.
The Metro 3 line has been designed for seamless integration with major suburban railway hubs, including Mumbai CSMT, Churchgate, Grant Road, and Mumbai Central, offering convenient interchanges for lakhs of daily commuter.
Common BMC subway used for entrance at Mumbai Central station
While the access has been provided through the common BMC subway, at Mumbai Central, the Metro entry and exit open directly inside the railway station premises near the approach area. At Churchgate, the Metro station is located just across the road, with entry/exit point B1 near the petrol pump behind Eros theater. Grant Road station, too, lies conveniently across the road from the Metro stop.
