Mumbai’s new underground metro station floods just 16 days after launch amid heavy rain

Just over two weeks since its inauguration, Mumbai’s newly launched underground metro station—Acharya Atre Chowk on Aqua Line 3—was flooded following heavy overnight rainfall. The station, which became operational on May 10, links major business hubs like Bandra-Kurla Complex and Worli.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) suspended train services between Worli and Acharya Atre Chowk as a precautionary measure. In a statement, MMRCL cited an "unforeseen technical issue" due to water seepage at the entry/exit point of the station, which is still under construction and not open to the public.

Officials clarified that the flooding occurred after a sudden collapse of the RCC water-retaining wall at the entry/exit area, triggered by a surge of water from an adjacent utility. The affected part of the station had not yet been completed, but authorities halted operations to ensure commuter safety.

The incident comes as Mumbai records its heaviest May rainfall in 107 years, with the southwest monsoon arriving 16 days early—its earliest onset in 25 years. The city continues to face traffic disruptions, train suspensions, and waterlogging as rains persist.