Mumbai is set to get an underground pedestrian connection linking the Science Centre Metro Station on Metro Line 3 with the Worli promenade through the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, in a project aimed at improving connectivity between the city's metro network and the coastal waterfront, according to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL)'s tender documents cited by a Times Of India report.
MMRCL awarded the construction contract to J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd, according to the company's regulatory filing with the National Stock Exchange. J Kumar Infraprojects stated that it received a letter of acceptance from MMRCL for the design and construction of the pedesrian vestibule.
The contract value is Rs. 521.77 crore, excluding GST. The Times of India reported that the project work is expected to take about two years with the completion targeted for 2028.
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The report said that earlier technical plans envisaged tunnels of roughly five metres in width, although MMRCL's latest tender corrigendum specifies a finished pedestrian width of not less than six metres for qualifying tunnel work.
The infrastructure is expected to incorporate escalators and lifts, allowing access for elderly passengers, differently abled people and other pedestrians. The reported plans also include lighting, ventilation, fire safety systems and CCTV surveillance for the underground passage.
The biggest objective is to improve first and last-mile connectivity from Metro Line 3 to important destinations in Worli. Instead of exiting the metro station and navigating busy roads to reach the waterfront, commuters would be able to use the dedicated underground pedestrian route. The arrangement is intended to reduce surface-level congestion and pedestrian road conflicts, TOI reported.
Because the route is underground, it is also intended to provide all weather pedestrian movement, protecting commuters from Mumbai's monsoon and heavy surface traffic.
The project also places the Mahalaxmi Racecourse at the centre of an important piece of pedestrian infrastructure, as the underground connection is specifically planned to pass through the racecourse area. The tender lists the work location as Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Worli, Mumbai, while the overall contract period is specified as 730 days.
The underground pedestrian project forms part of the wider effort to improve access to Mumbai's metro network and integrate stations with important destinations around them. The MMRCL tender itself identifies the project as a pedestrian vestibule connecting the Metro station with the Worli waterfront.
The broader goal is to create a safe, accessible, all-weather pedestrian link between Mumbai's metro network and one of its major new waterfront public spaces, while reducing dependence on surface road crossings, TOI report added.
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