Mumbai: Mumbai’s Metro Line-3, popularly known as the Aqua Line, will provide continuous overnight service on New Year’s Eve to accommodate holiday revellers, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) announced.

The special extended schedule is set to begin at 10:30 pm on Dec. 31 and will run until 5:55 am on Jan. 1, 2026. Standard daily operations will resume immediately following the conclusion of the overnight service at 5:55 am.

MMRC officials stated the initiative is designed to offer a safe and reliable transit alternative for citizens during the festivities, aiming to reduce traffic congestion and eliminate travel concerns for those celebrating into the early morning.

The 33.5-kilometre underground corridor achieved full operational status on Oct. 8, connecting Aarey in the north to Cuffe Parade in the south. The project, which represents a major advancement in the city's infrastructure, was primarily funded through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the final segment between Acharya Atre Chowk and Cuffe Parade at a ceremony held at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The event was attended by high-ranking officials, including Japan’s Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi; Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat; Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

During the inauguration, Modi described the subterranean line as a "living symbol of a developing Bharat." He commended the workforce for navigating Mumbai’s high-density urban environment and protecting historical heritage sites during construction.

The project, managed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), cost a total of 680,692 million Japanese yen ($4.4 billion), with JICA providing 354,132 million yen in official development assistance loans. As the city’s first entirely underground metro system, it links critical hubs including the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai International Airport, Dharavi, and MIDC.

With inputs from ANI