
Injecting a major fund booster in the upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 3, the Japanese government controlled Japan International Cooperation Agency has signed an agreement with the Central government for providing official development assistance (ODA) funds to the project. The ODA loan of 39,928 million yen (amounting to ₹2,480 crore), has been signed between Katsuo Matsumoto, the Chief representative of JICA and the Finance Ministry. Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) will boast of technologically-advanced, world-class train sets. Commenting on the development, Chief Representative, JICA was quoted saying that given the population in Mumbai, there is an urgent need for a metro network in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and also the mass rapid transport system will help in decreasing the pollution caused by private vehicles. The Metro Line 3, which is the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz line, has been planned to connect the southern part of the city with other major activity areas such as Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai Airport, Seepz area as well as the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation area. The ce of 33.7 km line comprises 26 metro stations and is fully underground. It is project scheduled for completion by 2021 and is going to be the first underground metro project in Mumbai.