Mumbai’s newly inaugurated Worli underground metro station on the Aqua Line (Metro Line 3) faced severe flooding after heavy rainfall lashed the city this week. Just 17 days after its grand opening, viral videos on social media showed rainwater gushing into the station, raising serious concerns about infrastructure readiness and monsoon preparedness.
⚠️ Metro Service Disrupted
After the water entered the station, Mumbai Metro services were partially suspended, with trains running only up to Worli instead of Acharya Atre Chowk. Passengers were reportedly not allowed to disembark at the affected stations, and floodwater even entered the train once the doors opened.
Escalators at the Worli station also stopped functioning, and passengers shared footage of water cascading down stairs into the station like a waterfall.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), “The southwest monsoon arrived 16 days early in Mumbai—the earliest in 25 years. In just one hour, the city received 104 mm of rainfall, which caused widespread waterlogging, traffic jams, and train delays.”
📉 What Caused the Flooding?
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) said the incident occurred due to the collapse of a cement wall at the under-construction entry/exit point of the Acharya Atre Chowk station.
“The RCC (reinforced cement concrete) wall failed due to sudden ingress of water from a nearby utility,” the MMRC said in a statement.
They clarified that the affected area was still under construction and not open to the public, and that services between Aarey JVLR and Worli remain unaffected and operational.
🚇 About the Aqua Line
The Aqua Line (Metro Line 3) is Mumbai’s first fully underground metro corridor. The second phase, which includes Worli and Acharya Atre Chowk stations, was inaugurated on May 9, 2025, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis taking a ceremonial ride between BKC and Siddhivinayak.
This incident has sparked public outrage and highlighted the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure in urban India. As Mumbai faces more intense and unpredictable monsoons, experts say it’s time for metro and urban projects to prioritize flood resistance and emergency preparedness.
