Mumbai Metro halts services at BKC station due to fire outside entrance

The newly opened Mumbai Metro line 3 ran into fresh snags on Friday — with services at the BKC station temporarily closed due to a fire. The development came mere days after the Aqua line suffered a major technical failure on Saturday evening — leaving passengers stranded underground for ‘nearly an hour’ between stations.

“Passenger services at BKC station are temporarily closed due to a fire outside Entry/Exit A4, which caused smoke to enter the station. Fire Brigade is on the job. For passenger safety, we have paused services. Senior Officers of MMRC & DMRC are at site. Please proceed to Bandra Colony station for alternative boarding. Thank you for your understanding,” read an official update shared by the Mumbai Metro.

According to a PTI report, the blaze eruptred around 1:10 pm. Officials said that it was confined to wooden sheets, furniture and construction material at a depth of 40-50 feet inside the station, causing heavy smoke in the area. There was no report of any injuries and eight fire engines remain at the spot to bring the situation under control.

The Aqua line has faced several crises since it was inaugurated in early October by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first week of commercial operations had left commuters frustrated by train delays — with services repeatedly disrupted during the rush hours by technical snags in the train door closure system. Heavy rain had also prompted significant leakage and waterlogging at the Kalina metro station in October.

BKC metro station is part of 12.69 km long Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation's (Mumbai Metro 3) or Aqua Line corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month flagged off the first phase of metro services on the 12.69-km Aarey JVLR- Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) stretch of the first underground metro corridor of Mumbai spread between Colaba and Aarey JVLR.

(With inputs from agencies)