Mumbai's metro odyssey: Transforming urban transit

The bustling metropolis of Mumbairsquos public transport system is often referred to as its lifeline The public transport systemmdashconsisting of a wellcoordinated network of buses suburban trains rickshaws and kaali peelis taxi cabsmdashhave been the backbone of the cityrsquos transportation with millions of passengers being ferried every dayWhile the city roads to an extent still face the brunt of congestion the suburban rail network has been significantly alleviating the pressure Apart from the rail network the expanding network of Mumbai Metro is poised to further transform the daily commutes for many It will enhance overall accessibility within the cityThe introduction of Mumbais metro system has been nothing short of a trailblazer for a city long plagued by its success As one of the most populous cities in the world Mumbai urgently needed a sustainable solution to its transportation woesMumbai Metrorsquos Line 1mdashconnecting Ghatkopar to Versovamdashbegan in June 2014 and nearly seven years later in 2023 with the introduction of two more lines and others being in the pipeline itrsquos expected that the metro will offer respite from the relentless gridlockCommuters who use the metro services daily that middaycom spoke to echoed similar views about it shaving off their travel time when questioned effects of the metro on their commuteKaran Jotwani aged 48 who runs a printing press in Marol said that earlier he used to take a car to work but has now switched to taking the metro ldquoSince Line 2A and 7 began the metro has become more crowded There is no sitting spacerdquoSimilarly Rahul Suthar 26 who commutes using the suburban railway network and the metro said that the latter offers a better travelling experience mainly due to better crowd management and having better signages than the railway stationsElric who travels to Andheri from Borivali east however has lamented that crowding especially during peak hours is as bad as local trains and that finding a space to stand correctly gets difficult tooWhen quizzed about the affordability the commuters said it was costeffective Jotwani said ldquoRates of Mumbai Metro are decent The prices for Line 2A and 7 are cheaper than the Line 1rdquoHowever some commuters have expressed that there are a few inconveniences like the absence of an application that offers to track the trains as the Railway did with the Yatri app Rahul who works as a software developer said ldquoI once had to go to Mira Road from Lower Malad however it took me a while to get to the station closest to my destination Moreover we do not have an application to book tickets online for other operational networks like we do for Metro Line 1rdquoMeanwhile Elric noted that the crowd control could be bettered especially during deboarding and emplaning ldquoAdditionally I think the service hours and number of services to places like Dahisar should be increased There are many people like me who finish work later in the night like 10 pm Itrsquod be a boon for such personsrdquoThe question though still loomed large Has the metro been effective in alleviating the traffic congestionWhile Jotwani noted that the traffic in the areas near Link Road has slightly reduced after the metro became operational he however observed that the situation is not the same along the Western Express HighwaySavio P though voiced that the metro has not significantly impacted the traffic congestion ldquoI dont think the traffic situation has improved While some commuters might have moved to using the metro they seem to have been replaced by newer vehicle ownersrdquo he elaboratedMetro network connectivityAs of January 2023 the operational lines including the Blue Line Line 1 Yellow Line Line 2A and Red Line Line 7 have had an impact on commuting in the cityThese operational segments span 464 kilometres effectively connecting major hubs within the metropolitan regionWith the upcoming construction of various underconstruction metro lines such as the Yellow Line Line 2B Aqua Line Line 3 and Purple Line Line 6 the reach and capacity of the Mumbai Metro are set to expand significantly The Mumbai Metro project a threephase initiative scheduled for completion in October 2026 network expansion is expected to connect all parts of Mumbai its suburbs and the metropolitan region In addition to the operational and underconstruction lines there are several planned metro projects such as Line 5 Line 8 Line 13 and Line 14Commuters noted that the expansion of the network will be a ldquogamechangerrdquo in transport and offer additional connectivity of the western and the central suburbs which presently are connected at very few placesJotwani said that the metro work should be sped up and once it is done it will be a real game changer and that people will choose to use the metro once they are accessibleWhat do metro officials have to sayAn official from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA said that the primary goal in planning for metro projects was to provide a fast equitable and comfortable public transport system catering to the accessibility and mobility needs of the people of Mumbai and its suburbsldquoThe MRTS network is planned in such a way to provide seamless northsouth and eastwest connectivity to the city and suburbs in conjunction with the existing suburban rail and road networkrdquo the official saidldquoThe objectives of the metro expansion were to induce balanced development in MMR lesser commute time comfortable and safe commute lesser crowds in the suburban rail network improved connectivity to different parts of MMR and to generate greater employment opportunitiesrdquo they addedOfficials said the development and execution of Mumbairsquos metro was underpinned by dynamic planning and close monitoring They further said that the construction activities are prioritised effectively and before commencing the building a comprehensive checklist is employed to remove constraints that might hinder progressFurthermore coordination with local authorities plays a pivotal role especially concerning approvals for Traffic Management Plans Utilities Diversion Plans and the relocation of infringing inventories said the officialValue Engineering Services are deployed whenever necessary enhancing the efficiency of civil works carried out by the MMRDAs internal resources often supported by loans from domestic financial institutions for funding system worksWhen quizzed about safety measures undertaken the official said they adhere to stringent safety norms conduct safety audits and the evaluation of safety scores as per contract terms to ensure that standards are consistently met Work permits are issued only after thorough verification of all relevant documents and sites are secured to prevent unauthorized accessSpecialised training programs are provided to staff workers and engineers to equip them for their roles in maintaining safety Regular inspections of construction equipment and the use of a tag system contribute to the overall safety and reliability of the metro system safeguarding both passengers and workers alike the official addedWhile responding to a query on integration with other public transport PT modes the official added ldquoseamless integration of Metro stations with these existing PT modes have been planned under the MultiModal Integration Project which includes restructuring reconfiguration of Right of Way ROW for footpaths widening for pedestrian movements shiftingrerouting of ground and underground utilities amp street lights for making footpaths barrierfree for safe pedestrian access shifting of bus stops and bringing it closer to station within reach of 50m from the entryexit staircasesrdquoAdditionally the MMRDA has been constructing Footoverbridge FOB for direct connectivity and providing dedicated pick and dropoff bays for buses private vehicles etc The project also includes the provision of street furniture such as railings bollards for controlled crossings dustbins benches and infrastructure for Public Bike Sharing These infrastructure upgrades are implemented within a 250meter radius of each station with feeders extending up to a 15kilometer radius creating a wellintegrated and accessible public transportation networkLine 2 and 7 have revolutionised Mumbais transportation system providing its first metro network This network is not only convenient affordable and sustainable but it has become a preferred mode of travel for both the common people and the film stars With a steady 537 growth in ridership every month we have witnessed over 5 crores of people benefitting from these lines To further enhance the convenience for Mumbaikars we are committed to taking all necessary steps to provide last mile connectivityrdquo said Dr Sanjay Mukherjee IAS Metropolitan Commissioner MMRDA when asked about the ridership and response to the metro servicesActivists differTransport activist AV Shenoy when asked about whether the planning of the metro aligns with the broader goal of the cityrsquos urban development opined that although the metro will provide eastwest connectivity to some towns in MMR there is no clear plan about how it will aide the towns and whether these links will help in reduction in traffic congestionldquoThere is no clear plan in the public domain about seamless integration with other systems like suburban railways and BESTrdquo Shenoy voiced when asked if the metro has been seamlessly integrated with other public transport systemsMeanwhile Jagdeep Desai Architect Academician Founder Trustee and Chairperson of Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs noted that ldquoUnfortunately the planning of the metro is too late and too disjointed Instead of having close coordination with all transport authorities and civic administration for actual planning and connections with socalled first and last mile connectivity the MMRDA is acting independently and in isolationrdquo Desai added that metro planning is ldquoall ad hocrdquoldquoThe ground reality is very clear The roads have been narrowed to allow for the columns and stations etc which is resulting in more congestion than before The increasing traffic will have less road space than before Proven by the Versova Andheri Ghatkopar metro which was proclaimed to reduce traffic on Andheri Kurla Road But it has deteriorated to mindboggling depths All signs indicate the new metro will have similar repercussionsrdquo Desai noted when asked about the effect of the metro on traffic congestion and pollutionShenoy echoing similar views said ldquoThe experience of Metro 2A and 7 has not shown any perceptible reduction in congestion on roads below or in suburban trains Also the trains are running much below the designed capacity as per figures published for last 7 months Metro 1 which is about 9 km carries about 4 lakh passengers per day but Metro 2A and 7 which are about 35 km together carry only 23 lakh passengers per day The present fares for Metros are very high compared to Suburban railways 2nd class and BEST to wean away passengers from these modesrdquo