Mumbai's underground metro begins operation, commuting made easier

New Delhi: Mumbai Metro-3 or the Aqua Line which is the city's first underground Metro service officially opened for the public on Monday.

Mumbai Metro-3 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The metro line runs between BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) and Aarey, covering ten stations along the route.

The newly launched underground metro is expected to reduce road traffic by 35 per cent and save approximately 350,000 litres of fuel every day.

Some passengers spoke to news agency IANS who were all excited for the development and their first ride.

Satyendra Singh commented: "It is a huge relief for the public, as we will no longer suffer from the mental stress caused by traffic. This will save us time as well, as earlier, it used to take around one to one-and-a-half hours to commute. People are experiencing convenience."

Jahangir Sheikh expressed gratitude: "I would like to thank the management and the government for this initiative. Earlier, we used to associate such infrastructure with foreign countries, but it’s heartening to see it here now. It will save time and allow us more hours to work."

There were also who felt this was long overdue. C. V. Mishra added: "This should have started 20 years ago, as we have dealt with overcrowded trains for a long time. The traffic situation has been a major concern, and this metro was a much-needed solution. I hope it will help alleviate Mumbai’s traffic issues."

Sharing relief over the traffic situation, another passenger said: "This metro was much needed as I used to spend so long in traffic jams to reach my office in BKC."

Mahesh expressed his enthusiasm: "We have been waiting for this metro to launch for many years, which is why I am travelling on this first underground metro today".

Jiya Soni shared her excitement about travelling on the first underground metro and acknowledged that it will help reduce traffic congestion.

The project is seen as a potential game-changer for Mumbai, with estimates suggesting that around 1.7 million people will benefit from this service daily.

(Inputs from IANS with minor edits)