Mobile Networks Go Dark on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3, Commuters Advised to Use Offline Ticketing
Mobile Networks Go Dark on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3, Commuters Advised to Use Offline Ticketing
Mumbai’s newly operational underground Aqua Line 3 of the metro faced an unexpected disruption on Wednesday, as mobile phones across all major networks went completely blank inside the stations and tunnels. This sudden blackout left commuters unable to access ticketing services or make calls and transactions, leading to significant inconvenience.
The disruption affected the second phase of the Aqua Line, which recently began operations between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Acharya Atre Chowk, Worli. Since all stations along this route are underground, passengers reported losing mobile connectivity entirely once inside the metro premises.
In light of this, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) issued an advisory requesting passengers to use the ‘Metro Connect 3’ mobile app to book tickets before entering the station premises. The app has an offline mode that allows access to previously purchased tickets, even without network coverage. For those unable to use the app, every station is equipped with ticket counters that accept cash.
The MMRC also displayed notices at stations informing passengers of the mobile network issue and guiding them to use offline ticketing options. Passengers have expressed frustration as they are unable to make calls, send messages, or use digital payments once inside the metro.
The root of the problem appears to be an ongoing policy dispute between Aqua Line 3’s administration and cellular network providers. While the metro line has not officially commented on Wednesday’s outage across all telecom networks, earlier MMRC statements addressed the issue of telecom infrastructure.
MMRC explained that it had followed a transparent and competitive bidding process to appoint a neutral infrastructure provider for setting up cellular connectivity inside the underground system. This provider, it said, was selected in accordance with industry best practices seen in other large-scale public infrastructure projects such as airports and metro systems across India.
“MMRC had invited bids to establish common telecom infrastructure usable by all network operators. Letters of support were received from telcos endorsing the bidding process, and the selected provider holds a valid license to install and operate the infrastructure,” MMRC said in a statement. “The infrastructure has already been deployed. Any claims of irregularities in the selection process are entirely baseless and without merit.”
While MMRC maintains that it has followed all necessary procedures, the lack of functional mobile services has sparked concern among regular metro commuters. Until the issue is resolved, passengers are being urged to plan their journeys in advance and ensure ticket bookings are completed before going underground.
