Operations on Mumbai Metro’s newly launched underground corridor were disrupted on Monday after heavy rainfall caused flooding at two key stations Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli. The metro line was inaugurated just over two weeks ago.

The downpour led to significant water accumulation at the underground stations, forcing Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) to suspend services between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli stations around 1:30 pm. Passengers were left stranded as water cascaded into stations, and videos shared online showed water entering metro coaches and escalators shutting down.

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“The scene at Acharya Atre Chowk station resembled a waterfall, with water gushing down the stairs,” a commuter wrote on social media. At Worli station, metro doors remained shut for several minutes and water from the platform eventually seeped into the coaches.

MMRC officials later confirmed that the disruption was due to the collapse of an RCC water-retaining wall at an under-construction entry/exit point along Dr Annie Besant Road.

“Incessant and sudden rainfall caused water to rush in from an adjacent utility, leading to seepage in an under-construction section not open to the public,” the MMRC said. “As a precautionary measure, train services between Worli and Acharya Atre Chowk have been temporarily suspended,” it added.

However, the metro remains operational between Aarey JVLR and Worli and officials assured that normal service on the affected stretch will resume once the situation is fully assessed and secured.

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The incident comes barely 17 days after the inauguration of the second phase of Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), Mumbai’s first fully underground metro corridor. The phase, launched on May 9, had been inaugurated with much fanfare, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis among the first to ride the new line.

The flooding has raised concerns over construction quality and flood preparedness as Mumbai braces for a long monsoon season.