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Mobile Signals Return to Mumbai’s Underground Aqua Line

A phased restart by Airtel with Vodafone Idea follows a contract dispute that led MMRC to reassign deployment rights.

Overview

  • MMRCL began a phased reactivation on Thursday with Airtel switching on service between Aarey JVLR and Bandra Kurla Complex and Vodafone Idea covering 16 stations up to Acharya Atre Chowk.
  • Reliance Jio has completed corridor surveys and is preparing deployment with a mid‑July target while Airtel says it aims to finish its rollout by the end of June.
  • The southern stretch from Science Centre to Cuffe Parade is still being equipped as operators lay fibre and install shared in‑building systems in stages.
  • The outage followed a months‑long dispute over an ACES India neutral‑host plan and vendor charges that prompted MMRC to cancel the original arrangement and issue Letters of Acceptance to Airtel, Jio and Vi.
  • Restored connectivity will return voice, data and digital‑payment access for about 150,000 daily Aqua Line riders and reduce communication and safety problems caused by the blackout.