Mumbai’s newly operational Worli Metro Station, part of the partially opened underground Metro Line 3 corridor, is already showing signs of infrastructural strain.
On Wednesday morning, water seepage was observed near the station’s ticketing area, raising concerns about the quality of construction and long-term resilience of the city’s most ambitious underground transport project to date. A video of the incident, which showed water being collected in a bucket by metro staff at the concourse level, circulated widely on social media platforms, drawing public criticism and prompting urgent clarifications from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC). Officials confirmed the incident and issued a statement, assuring that the seepage posed no threat to commuter safety or daily operations.
“This is a minor water ingress and has not impacted the functioning of the station. Train services between Aarey, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), and Worli are running smoothly without any disruption,” an MMRC spokesperson stated. However, the incident has added to growing public anxiety about the preparedness of the metro infrastructure ahead of Mumbai’s monsoon season. It has also reignited debate about the robustness of construction standards in the underground sections, which had already come under scrutiny following waterlogging at Acharya Atre Chowk station during recent pre-monsoon showers.
Acharya Atre Chowk station, also part of Metro Line 3, has now remained closed for three consecutive days. Authorities have sealed off all entry and exit points, citing ongoing safety inspections. According to sources within the project team, stringent post-flooding safety protocols are currently underway to assess the extent of damage caused by water ingress at the station. “Every electrical and electronic system that may have come into contact with water—including power relays, fire detection circuits, and signalling systems—must be thoroughly dried and certified functional before operations can resume,” said a senior engineer involved with the inspection.
“Even a minor short circuit in a cable or fire panel can trigger a cascading system failure during peak hours. So, the protocols are non-negotiable,” the official added. Inspections are also being conducted across tunnel ventilation systems, smoke extraction ducts, CCTV networks, and digital communication lines—each of which is vital for the safe and smooth operation of the fully underground metro system. The recurring water issues within just weeks of the corridor’s launch have put MMRC under pressure, especially with the onset of Mumbai’s unpredictable and intense rains. While Metro Line 3, also known as the Aqua Line, is expected to significantly reduce surface congestion and cut down carbon emissions by shifting thousands of commuters underground, its resilience against water damage could determine its credibility among the public.
Urban transport experts have pointed out that while underground metro systems around the world often have robust water management systems—including sump pumps, drainage channels, and waterproofing layers—Mumbai’s unique topography and extreme rainfall patterns make it imperative that such mechanisms are rigorously stress-tested before full-scale operations. “The incident at Worli may be minor today, but it’s a critical signal for MMRC to reassess flood-proofing measures across all underground stations and tunnels. Preventive maintenance and real-time water monitoring need to be a priority,” said a metro infrastructure consultant.
The MMRC has not specified a timeline for reopening Acharya Atre Chowk station, but has committed to completing all checks thoroughly before allowing public access. For now, the partial launch between Aarey and Worli remains operational, but the twin incidents of seepage and flooding have raised important questions about the project’s readiness. As the city prepares for the full brunt of the monsoon, all eyes will be on how MMRC manages to weatherproof one of India’s most complex urban mobility ventures.
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