Mumbai Metro 2B Update: Yellow Line To Hit Tracks Soon As Trial Runs To Begin On April 16

Mumbai: The long-awaited Yellow Line Mumbai Metro 2B reached a major milestone on Sunday, with a 5.4-km stretch between Diamond Garden in Chembur and Mandale in Mankhurd now live-charged, meaning its overhead electrical wires are active. This progress comes four years after the line was originally scheduled to be operational.

Officials confirmed that trial runs will commence on April 16, reported Mid-day. The date itself is very special as it is coinciding with the 172nd anniversary of the first train run in Mumbai, celebrated as the foundation day of Indian Railways.

This will be the first Metro line to begin operations in the eastern suburbs in a decade, following the Blue Line (Metro Line 1) from Ghatkopar. The Yellow Line 2B stands out as the only new line catering to the eastern corridor, while the rest have been focused on the western suburbs. Although the full operation deadline was initially set for December 2025, early trial runs are reportedly being initiated due to the close monitoring and push from Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee.

5 Stations Of Metro Line 2B Nearly Ready

The delays in the line's progress were mainly due to rebidding of the systems tender. Now, five stations, Diamond Garden, Shivaji Chowk, BSNL Metro, Mankhurd, and Mandale Metro, are finally nearing readiness. Notably, the route intersects with the Mumbai Monorail at Chembur, enhancing multimodal connectivity.

The new six-coach trains for this line are manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). According to the report, these indigenously built trains feature energy-efficient regenerative braking systems, all-steel integral coaches and are equipped with modern amenities such as mobile charging points, IP-based announcements, surveillance systems and space for bicycles.

Details On Trials & Testing

The upcoming trial runs will begin with basic integration testing, checking the rolling stock, signalling and track traction. These will be followed by loaded trials, which simulate real-world conditions by using weights equivalent to passenger loads. Once these phases are successfully completed, a final inspection will be carried out by the commissioner of Metro Railway Safety. Only after this final approval will public operations commence.

Once the first phase is up and running, the full 18.2-km Yellow Line 2B, stretching from Diamond Garden to DN Nagar in Andheri with 14 stations, is expected to be operational by December 2026.

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