Services on the newly inaugurated underground Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) were disrupted on Wednesday morning due to a technical issue with the train’s door closure system at Sahar Road station. The glitch, which occurred around 9:30 am, left commuters stranded during peak rush hours, with no trains for 30-35 minutes, according to passengers.
Repeat Technical Issues
This disruption marks the second technical issue since the line was opened to the public earlier this week. On Monday, a similar snag in the door closure system also caused delays at Sahar Road station.
Frustrated passengers took to social media to express their concerns. One X user, @rahool26, tweeted, “No train at BKC for the last 30 minutes. Same thing happened yesterday; the train arrived after a 45-minute wait. No communication on when it will arrive.”
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has yet to respond to queries regarding the technical issues. Passengers claimed there was no official communication from MMRC, with only an apology for the delay broadcasted over the station’s announcement system.
The disruption comes just three days into the commercial operation of Metro Line 3, which covers a 12.69 km stretch from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Aarey Colony JVLR. The line serves major transit hubs, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s domestic and international terminals and the BKC business district.
Commuters have raised concerns over the frequent delays on the new line. Some reported experiencing similar delays on Tuesday, as well. According to official data, 20,482 passengers used the new Metro line by 9 pm on Tuesday, indicating high demand for the service despite the early operational issues.