- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:20 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai Metro Line 3: The much-anticipated Line 3 ran into a technical snag on the very first day of public operations on Thursday, October 9. The malfunction in the entry-exit flap barriers at Churchgate station during the evening rush hour, the absence of an underground mobile network connectivity, were among the many obstacles that the passengers faced on the first day, reported the Free Press Journal.
But despite so many problems, a total of 1,56,456 passengers travelled on the entire stretch of Line 3 from Cuffe Parade to Aarey (JVLR) opened to the public.
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What Were The Problems That Commuters Faced On First Day?
- Mobile network connectivity was absent in the underground stations. This rendered all ticketing services useless, with passengers relying exclusively on cash transactions for purchasing tickets, creating bottlenecks and frustration.
- The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Metro station, a key interlinking station, particularly faced public scrutiny. Signboards indicating the station name were absent.
- Pedestrians also used the station as a makeshift subway. This increased the number of passengers beyond the actual number of people travelling in the metro.
- According to Mid-Day, several of the eleven newly inaugurated stations appeared dusty, with work seemingly still pending. A commuter who was travelling on the Line 3 remarked, “one more round of housekeeping before they can truly be called world-class.”
- A video which went viral on Instagram showed large crowds stuck at the station as the automated flap barriers jammed. The metro staff were seen assisting passengers manually to open the barriers one by one to allow people to pass.
- Overcrowding was experienced at the Vidhan Bhavan station, also with unusually high footfall during peak evening hours. To manage the crowd, one of the station’s seven entry gates was temporarily closed for about 10 minutes.