Mumbai Metro users like AC rides, loathe crowd

The city got its first Metro corridor connecting Versova and Ghatkopar on June 8, 2014. The mode of transport is said to be a major boost in connectivity when it comes to linking the western and eastern parts of the city. After almost five years of its operations, DNA talks to passengers who travel via the Versova-Ghatkopar Metro-1 corridor daily. As per commuters, it is a quick mode of transport but the level of comfort is getting worse due to a steep increase in footfall.

According to the passengers, Metro rides are comfortable because of airconditioners. However, they said it is difficult to travel during peak hours as trains and stations like Ghatkopar, Andheri, and Saki Naka get overcrowded.

The Metro-1 corridor took 398 days to reach its first 100 million paaasengers. Having started on June 08, 2014, it took 388 days for its second batch of 100 million riders and 337 days for its third batch of 100 million commuters. It took only 300 days for its fourth batch of 100 million passengers. The Metro's daily weekday average ridership has increased from around 2.50 lakh passengers per day in 2015-2015 to now it reaching to also more than 4 lakh passengers travelling using Mumbai Metro.

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Mayur Misra, a commuter who uses the Metro daily said, "I take the Metro daily from Ghatkopar to Marol. The crowd over the past one year has increased and is still increasing. I think, crowd management at the stations should be made more efficient."

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Misra added, "Earlier, I used to take a maximum of two to five minutes to reach the platform at the Ghatkopar Metro station during peak hours, but now, on most days, it takes me at least ten minutes to reach the station. My overall journey is of 10 minutes and I take the same amount of time to reach the platform. To tackle the problem, I think frequency of trains should be increased.

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Another commuter Dattatray Gosavi, who travels daily between the Marol Metro station and the Chakala Metro station said, "Undoubtedly, Metro is one of the best modes of transport, but now, the system requires augmentation."

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Gosavi further added, "More coaches should be added to the current number. Considering the discount the Mumbai Metro was giving is not being offered now, certain problems need to be fixed urgently."

At present, during peak hours, the Mumbai Metro trains operate at a gap of 3 minutes. The frequency of trains is 5 minutes between 11:30 am to 4:30 pm, that is during lean hours.

Recently, DNA also reported how one lakh passengers using the Andheri Metro station regularly will get more space on the platform. To ensure swift crowd management, the Metro operator has started work to widen the Andheri station.

When contacted over the completion of five years of the Mumbai Metro along with passengers complaining decrease in comfort, Metro operator MMOPL did not respond.