MMRC plans second subway between CSMT Metro 3 and railway stations

The first subway that will connect the CSMT Metro and railway stations is the existing subway that opens towards the BMC headquarters.

The CSMT Metro station is part of Metro Line 3 Phase 2, which is slated to be inaugurated by mid-2024.

3 min readMumbaiJul 24, 2023 12:36 PM IST First published on: Jul 23, 2023 at 06:47 PM IST

To connect the upcoming Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Metro station with the existing CSMT railway station, the Maharashtra transport department recently gave approval for the construction of a new pedestrian subway. The subway will be 365 metre long and pass close to the Times of India building and St Xavier’s College and end near the Himalayan foot overbridge. It will be an access-controlled pedestrian subway facilitating seamless integration between the two stations.

At present, the CSMT railway station sees over 16 lakh passengers per day. Whereas the underground Metro Line 3 CSMT station is expected to witness over 1.63 lakh passengers by 2025 and over 2 lakh by 2031.

The CSMT Metro station is part of Metro Line 3 Phase 2, which is slated to be inaugurated by mid-2024. The stretch between BKC and Aarey (under Metro Line 3 Phase 1) is expected to be completed by December this year, said the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which is the implementing agency of Metro Line 3.

Also Read | Mumbai Metro Lines 2A, 7 report record single-day ridership of 2.14 lakh on rainy day

Meanwhile, the first subway that will connect the CSMT Metro and railway stations is the existing subway that opens towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. The work to extend the subway till the CSMT Metro station is underway.

Asked about the new subway plan, the MMRC replied, “Government of Maharashtra has approved an underground access-controlled pedestrian subway. This connection will be constructed by MMRC, which will have modern features of lifts, escalators, travelators, refreshments, and toilets, etc. It will work out on its engineering and technical feasibility plan. The cost of the work shall be shared by the GoM and Railway.”

The MMRC has been constituted as a joint venture of the Union government and the Maharashtra government on a 50:50 sharing basis.

Also Read | People turn to Mumbai Metro as rain affects suburban train service

The proposed second subway has been mooted since the CSMT railway station will be undergoing redevelopment, work for which is expected to begin early next year.

An MMRC official said the CSMT station redevelopment plan includes a new railway administrative building near the Himalayan foot overbridge, among others. “The railway is providing a new entry, exit for its passengers. And so, at this place, this pedestrian subway is being planned to connect with the Metro,” he said.

The Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) will execute the CSMT station redevelopment project which will be taken up at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore. In January, PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the CSMT station redevelopment project.