In a major push to redefine urban mobility in Mumbai, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation has announced an ambitious attempt to develop a 3-kilometre interconnected underground walkway grid to provide last-mile connectivity for lakhs of commuters. The proposed network will link key transit hubs along the Colaba–Bandra–SEEPZ Metro Line 3, offering seamless pedestrian access across some of Mumbai’s busiest pockets.
The project is still in the process of planning and feasibility, but the move is being termed transforming for a city that has long suffered from congestion, narrow footpaths, and overwhelming traffic. With the population density around central Mumbai continuously rising, an underground pedestrian network forms a progressive step toward sustainable movement.
A First-of-its-Kind Walkway Network for Mumbai
The proposed grid of underground walkways will link major stations in the central stretch of Metro Line 3. It is expected that the corridors run below some of the key commercial and residential precincts, allowing for safe, comfortable, and weather-protected travel on foot.
According to MMRC officials, the walkway grid will be more than a simple tunnel. It will function like a structured pedestrian ecosystem that will boast:
Wide corridors to support high footfall
Clear signage and intelligent navigation systems
Multiple entry and exit points integrated with metro stations
Escalators, elevators, and ramps for universal accessibility
Climate-controlled sections in dense zones to provide comfort
CCTV surveillance and security personnel for safety
This network of connections will achieve better mobility and safety by enabling commuters to walk across important transit points without crossing busy roads or battling congestion at surface level.
Targeting Last-Mile Woes & Congestion
Last-mile connectivity has always been a problem with which Mumbai has wrestled. This is especially true around rail and metro hubs, where pedestrian movement often competes with heavy vehicular flow. Places around Bandra, Dadar, Lower Parel, and other business districts experience high-intensity crowding during rush hours and chaotic road conditions.
The underground walkway grid is foreseen to:
Limit congestion of pedestrians at station exits
Eliminate unsafe road crossings
Ease congestion of movement around metro lines, bus stops, and offices.
Ease traffic pressure on narrow arterial roads
Support the city’s long-term pedestrianization goals
According to urban planners, such infrastructure is necessary if Metro Line 3, which expects to serve more than 1.7 million passengers daily when fully operational, is to be successful.
Part of a Larger Vision for a Modern Transit Ecosystem
The walkway grid thus aligns with Mumbai’s broader push toward a holistic, multimodal transit system. The rapid addition of metro corridors across the city necessarily involves the integration of pedestrian infrastructure, though, to ensure seamless passenger flow.
According to MMRC, the grid could eventually become part of a larger underground walkway ecosystem that spans additional metro lines in the future. Similar models exist successfully internationally in:
Tokyo’s underground city networks
Toronto’s PATH system alone stretches over 30 km.
Metro connectors running deep into Seoul
Though the scale of Mumbai will be modest to start, officials hope the project will set a precedent for pedestrian-first urban planning in India.
Construction Challenges & Timelines
Building a 3-kilometer underground network within an already heavily jammed urban area involves major engineering challenges. The corridors have to be carved out beneath existing utilities, commercial structures, and traffic arteries with as little disruption as possible.
The research currently being carried out at MMRC includes:
Soil and geological surveys
Utility-mapping exercises
Feasibility studies for pedestrian flow
Environmental impact assessments
If approved, the project could begin phased construction by late 2026, with a projected completion timeline between 2029 and 2030. Authorities are considering both government funding and possible PPP models.
A step towards making Mumbai more walkable
For a city that moves at an unstoppable pace, improving pedestrian infrastructure around Metro Line 3 is the immediate need. The overall success of Metro Line 3 requires that the nearby environment be conducive to easy movement. The suggested underground grid of walkways reflects a shift in prioritizing the pedestrian as central to the transit experience-not secondary. Urban mobility experts believe that, combined with better footpaths, skywalk improvements, and multimodal integration, the walkway grid could help Mumbai transition to a more commuter-friendly metropolis. As the project moves from blueprint to reality, it signals a new era for Mumbai-one where connectivity is not just about trains and vehicles but about making every step smoother, safer, and more efficient for the millions who walk the city every day.
