For commuters on Mumbai’s Metro Aqua Line 3, the frustration of losing mobile connectivity underground may soon be a thing of the past.

All three private telecom operators — Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) — have begun the process of enabling mobile services along the Aqua Line corridor, marking a major step towards providing seamless connectivity on one of Mumbai’s newest transport links ahead of the monsoon season.

The move follows the resolution of a months-long dispute, with Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL) granting right of way to telecom operators to deploy their networks across the underground metro corridor.

ALSO READ

Phased Operator Milestones

Airtel and Vodafone Idea have already commenced a phased rollout of services. Mobile connectivity is now available across the Phase I stretch between SEEPZ and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), with operators gradually extending coverage further south.

Vi has activated services at 16 stations between Aarey JVLR and Acharya Atre Chowk, the company said in a statement. Airtel, meanwhile, is targeting completion of its network rollout across the corridor by the end of June.

“Reliable connectivity is an essential part of everyone’s daily commute. We are very pleased that our service is available on Aqua Line Phase 1 of the Mumbai Metro network, Phase II will go live soon,” Jagbir Singh, chief technology officer at Vodafone Idea, said.

Reliance Jio has completed network surveys and is expected to begin deployment shortly, with a full rollout targeted by mid-July.

The availability of mobile services comes after a prolonged standoff between telecom operators and metro authorities over the deployment of in-building telecom infrastructure, which had delayed connectivity on parts of the underground line.

At the heart of the dispute were charges imposed by a third-party vendor appointed by MMRCL to build telecom infrastructure across the metro network. Telecom operators had objected to the pricing structure and proposed a joint deployment model, similar to the arrangement implemented at the Central Vista complex in New Delhi.

ALSO READ

Under the revised arrangement, telecom operators will pay MMRCL a right-of-way fee of Rs 23,000 per station per month, along with a leasing charge of Rs 1 lakh per station per month to the third-party vendor. Industry executives said these charges are substantially lower than those sought earlier by the vendor.

Commercial Resolution

Each operator will be responsible for deploying infrastructure at seven stations along the route, although subscribers of all three telecom companies will have access to services across the entire corridor, executives added.

The rollout assumes significance as the Aqua Line now carries more than 150,000 passengers daily across over 290 trips. For commuters increasingly reliant on digital payments, navigation apps and work-related communication, uninterrupted mobile connectivity has become a critical part of the travel experience.