As August nears, with full operations of the 33.5 km Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 imminent, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) has initiated proposals for another underground metro project. The corporation has submitted a detailed project report (DPR) for Line 11—part of the green line—to the Maharashtra government seeking approval.

Tasked with designing, constructing, and operating Line 11, MMRCL’s proposed 17.5 km route will run from Anik Depot to the Gateway of India, passing through dense localities such as Nagpada and Bhendi Bazaar. Similar to the Aqua Line, Line 11 will have a single ground-level station at Anik Depot, with the remainder of the route underground.

A senior MMRCL official explained that the proposal is currently with the state government for initial clearance, after which it will be forwarded to the Union government. Following established procedure, feasibility studies and detailed reports are submitted to the Urban Development Department (UDD) before onward approval by the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

Once funding is secured from domestic or international agencies, the project will proceed through environmental and statutory clearances. Infrastructure firms will then be appointed via competitive bidding for execution.

The initial trains on Line 11 will comprise six coaches. The depot is planned at the Anik-Pratiksha Nagar BEST bus depot over 16 hectares, facilitating integration with existing bus services. Line 11 will also intersect with Line 4 (Wadala–Ghatkopar–Thane–Kasarvadavli), the Aqua Line (Cuffe Parade–Bandra Kurla Complex–Aarey JVLR), the Monorail, and suburban rail stations including Byculla and CSMT.

Of the 13 underground stations, eight will be built using the cut-and-cover method—excavating a trench to construct the tunnel, then covering it back. The other five will use the New Austrian Tunnelling Method, which utilises the natural strength of surrounding rock to stabilise tunnels.