To enhance tourism and improve footfall at the Aarey-JVLR metro station, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) is planning to construct a ropeway linking the station with Sanjay Gandhi National Park via Film City.

The MMRC, which is responsible for building and managing the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), is exploring this ropeway as a solution to low ridership since the line’s partial launch in October 2024. The system is intended to support both tourists and daily commuters facing congestion at Dindoshi and Yashodham Junction along the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road.

“We propose to develop a ropeway from Aarey Metro Station to Film City, with a possible extension to Sanjay Gandhi National Park,” an MMRC official stated. The project is designed to boost last-mile connectivity to the employment and tourist hub of Film City, which currently suffers from limited access and severe road congestion. The alignment is currently under review, and the route is expected to stretch 3 km across the Aarey hills.

The official added that the system would minimise land acquisition and ecological impact while catering to tourists, local residents, and industry workers. It supports MMRC’s broader goal of promoting multi-modal integration and easing urban road traffic with sustainable mobility solutions.

Preliminary assessments suggest the ropeway could transport 2,000 to 3,000 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD). The technology—mono-cable, bi-cable, or tri-cable detachable gondola—will be selected following a technical evaluation. The project is planned under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model using the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) method.

This initiative follows MMRC’s recent effort to improve last-mile connectivity by involving private bus operators to provide feeder services to Aqua Line stations.

Currently, Mumbai Metro 3 operates between Aarey-JVLR and Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli. Since its launch on 10 May 2025, weekday ridership has risen to 52,600 passengers, up from 20,000 during its initial phase to Bandra Kurla Complex. However, the figures still fall short of expectations. Each metro train has a capacity of around 2,500 passengers. Notably, ridership spikes on days of heavy rainfall.