Mumbai Metro Line 7A Makes Underground History—Tunnel Near Mumbai Airport Completed After Months Of Drilling

Mumbai's metro network has reached two big milestones this week. As per a mid-day report, one of the city's tunnel boring machines, named 'Disha', has completed a major underground tunnel for Metro Line 7A.

This tunnel is 1.647 kilometres long and runs between Andheri (East) and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). It is the first underground tunnel built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The tunnel is 6.35 metres wide and is part of the plan to connect the airport with the already-running Red Line from Dahisar to Gundavali.

Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, the Metropolitan Commissioner, said this was a "monumental milestone" and a big step towards better travel in the city. The breakthrough happened today, April 17, and will be celebrated with a formal ceremony attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other key officials.

In another important update, the long-delayed Yellow Line Metro 2B has seen real progress. A 5.4-kilometre stretch between Diamond Garden (Chembur) and Mandale (Mankhurd) was live-charged on Sunday, meaning the overhead electric wires are now active. The first train trials are set to begin on April 16, the same day trains first started running in Mumbai 172 years ago.

This will be the first metro in Mumbai's eastern suburbs in over ten years. The new six-coach trains, made by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), are modern and commuter-friendly. They include features like charging points, CCTV cameras, an announcement system, and even space for bicycles. The trains are also energy efficient, using a special braking system to save power.

These updates are set to improve travel and reduce congestion for thousands of daily commuters in Mumbai.