Mumbai Metro 3 will extend its operating hours until midnight from September 14 to 25 for Ganeshotsav, allowing devotees and other passengers to travel later between Aarey-JVLR and Cuffe Parade, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation said.
Under the regular timetable, the last services depart from both terminal stations at 10.30pm. During the festival period, the final trains from Aarey-JVLR and Cuffe Parade will instead leave at midnight, according to information reported by Loksatta and attributed to MMRC.
The extended service is intended to help passengers return home after visiting Ganesh mandals and religious sites across south and central Mumbai. The Metro 3 corridor serves areas including Marol, the airport, Santacruz, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Dharavi, Dadar, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Mahalaxmi, Girgaon, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Churchgate and Cuffe Parade.
The Siddhivinayak station is located near the Siddhivinayak Temple, which attracts a large number of visitors during Ganeshotsav. The corridor also provides access to festival areas in Dadar, Prabhadevi, Worli, Mahalaxmi and Girgaon. The extended operating window will give visitors an additional public transport option for late-evening journeys to and from these locations.
MMRC has also permitted passengers to carry small Ganesh idols on Metro 3 during the arrival and immersion-related journeys. The permission applies to idols up to 18 inches in height. Passengers carrying idols must comply with the applicable safety requirements, and the idols will be checked at the station entry gates using screening machines before access to the Metro system is allowed.
The permission does not remove the screening requirement. Passengers will be able to board with an idol only after the security check at the station entrance, according to the information attributed to MMRC. The report does not specify any additional conditions beyond the size limit and compliance with safety rules.
The decision follows requests from political parties and others for longer operating hours or additional services on Mumbai’s Metro corridors during Ganeshotsav. MMRC has announced the extended schedule for the underground Metro 3 corridor for the specified 12-day period.
The late-night services will operate from all stations on the Aarey-JVLR–Cuffe Parade route, including Aarey-JVLR, SEEPZ, MIDC-Andheri, Marol Naka, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport T2, Sahar Road, the airport’s T1 station, Santacruz, Bandra Colony, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Dharavi, Shitladevi Temple, Dadar, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Acharya Atre Chowk, Science Museum, Mahalaxmi, Jagannath Shankar Sheth, Grant Road, Girgaon, Kalbadevi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Hutatma Chowk, Churchgate, Vidhan Bhavan and Cuffe Parade.
The revised last-departure schedule will remain in force from September 14 through September 25, after which the regular 10.30pm terminal departures are expected to apply unless MMRC issues a further announcement.
