MUMBAI: The safety certification for the BKC-Worli stretch of the Metro 3 corridor was received on Monday from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, which means the section is ready for commissioning.Services will roll out on Saturday, after the section’s inauguration the previous day. The first phase between Aarey and BKC was launched in Oct 2024.

“We anticipated the PM’s presence at the inauguration, but due to India’s ongoing action against Pakistan, his participation was not feasible,” a senior state govt official said.The underground route will now extend across 22km. Designed to ease pressure on congested roads and the suburban rail network, the line travels beneath key neighbourhoods including Dharavi, Dadar and Siddhivinayak.

The BKC-Worli section, to take just 36 minutes to cover by Metro, is expected to improve access between major employment hubs. Although Dadar Metro station lies about a kilometre from the existing suburban railway station, planners say the strategic location of new stations will significantly enhance overall network efficiency.Since the launch of the Aarey-BKC section, Metro Line 3 recorded an average daily ridership of 25,000. While initial numbers were modest, authorities expect a major increase in footfall with the southward extension reaching high-density commercial and residential zones.The project, initially planned as two separate segments — Aarey to BKC and BKC to Cuffe Parade — was redesigned during execution. Operational crossovers were introduced at Acharya Atre Chowk and CSMT to streamline train movement and enhance service frequency.Among the most complex engineering tasks was the successful tunnelling beneath the Mithi River, which posed significant logistical and technical challenges during construction.The underground line informally intersects with Metro 2A, Metro 7, and Metro 1, creating a web of transportation across the city’s western suburbs and also a link to areas around Ghatkopar in the eastern suburbs. Metro 3 promises to drastically reduce travel times, and ease congestion along Western Express Highway and Western Railway. The combined impact of the Metro lines, WEH and WR will be to make suburban commuting quicker and smoother.