The alarms were raised by tragedies such as the Elphinstone Road stampede of September 2017, and the near-stampede like situation at Lower Parel station brought on by the closure of the Delisle Road bridge earlier in July.
Cautioned by the recent tragedies brought on by failing infrastructure and overcrowding at railway stations, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is rushing to increase the entry and exit points and also double staircases and escalators at upcoming Metro stations.
The alarms were raised by tragedies such as the Elphinstone Road stampede of September 2017, and the near-stampede like situation at Lower Parel station brought on by the closure of the Delisle Road bridge earlier in July.
In the initial plan, MMRDA had slotted two entries and exits, i.e. two staircases and two escalators at every Metro station. This will now be doubled to four staircases and four escalators. "We have to estimate footfall for the next 20 years at these Metro corridors," said RA Rajeev, metropolitan commissioner of MMRDA.
"Also, judging by the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro-1 corridor, the number of staircases and escalators need to be doubled. This will definitely increase cost, but it's worth doing."
Rajeev says he doesn't want to proceed as per routine, but follow the example set by CST and Mumbai Central stations. "These stations are still able to cope, to some extent, with the growing footfall because they were planned to anticipate them," he points out, adding, "Whereas, Versova and Andheri Metro stations are not that spacious."
The suburban railway network carries around 80 lakh passengers every day, while the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro-1 corridor ferries around 3.50 lakh passengers on weekdays. There has been a demand by commuters to increase the number of coaches in the Metro from four to six.
The doubled entry, exit points will be implemented in Metro 2A's and Metro-7's Dahisar East-Andheri East corridor, which will open to the people in 2020.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ghatkopar")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}