Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has extended services on the Aarey-JVLR–Cuffe Parade Metro 3 corridor until midnight from September 14 to 25 to support travel during Ganeshotsav. The agency has also allowed passengers to carry small Ganesh idols on the line, subject to screening and safety conditions.
Under the regular timetable, the last Metro 3 services depart from both terminal stations, Cuffe Parade and Aarey-JVLR, at 10.30 pm. During the festival period, the final services from the two terminals will leave at midnight, according to information reported by MMRC. The extension will give visitors additional time to travel to and from Ganesh mandals and return home by metro.
Metro 3 connects several locations that are expected to see increased movement during the festival, including Dadar, Prabhadevi, Worli, Mahalaxmi and Girgaon. The Siddhivinayak station is located near the Siddhivinayak Temple, which attracts a large number of devotees during Ganeshotsav. The extended operating period is intended to support late-evening travel to these areas and onward journeys after temple or mandal visits.
The decision follows demands from political parties for additional services or longer operating hours across Mumbai’s metro corridors during Ganeshotsav. MMRC has extended the operating period specifically on Metro 3 for the period announced. The report does not state that similar extensions have been approved for other metro lines.
MMRC has also permitted passengers to travel with Ganesh idols for both arrival and immersion-related journeys. The permission applies to idols up to 18 inches in height. Passengers carrying idols must follow the applicable safety rules, and the idols will be checked at station entry points using screening machines before passengers are allowed to enter the metro system.
The late-night services will operate through the full Metro 3 corridor, covering Aarey-JVLR, SEEPZ, MIDC-Andheri, Marol Naka, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2, Sahar Road, Terminal 1, 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.
Passengers planning to use the service with a Ganesh idol will therefore need to account for the 18-inch size limit, screening at station entrances and all other security requirements. The extended schedule will remain in force from September 14 through September 25, with the last departures from Aarey-JVLR and Cuffe Parade scheduled for midnight during that period.
