Overview
- On March 22, MMRC terminated its contract with ACES India, a move that led to a near‑complete mobile and internet blackout across the fully underground Aqua Line and months of commuter complaints.
- MMRC has jointly issued a Letter of Acceptance to Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea for a 25‑year arrangement under which the three operators will deploy, operate and maintain shared telecom infrastructure across the Colaba–Bandra–SEEPZ corridor.
- The carriers will install in‑building solutions (IBS), the distributed antenna and cabling systems that bring cellular voice and data into tunnels and underground stations, and are expected to begin propagating signals along the route soon.
- The agreement includes a clause to enable state-run BSNL to gain access to the corridor within roughly six months and follows reports that the private carriers had offered to build infrastructure at no cost to MMRC.
- For daily riders, restored connectivity should improve calls, internet access, digital payments and emergency contact on the 33.5‑km Aqua Line, and the deal signals MMRC’s shift from seeking non‑fare revenue to prioritising commuter convenience.