Mumbai Metro News: Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro Line Faces Multiple Challenges

According to the Hindustan Times report, Mumbai's first metro line, operating on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route, is grappling with several issues. From technical failures and sluggish infrastructure upgrades to the state government's reluctance to acquire the stake of Reliance Infrastructure, the parent company of Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), the problems persist.

Technical Failures And Service Disruptions

This week, MMOPL encountered two separate incidents of technical failure, necessitating the withdrawal of metro trains from service. On July 2, a metro rake failed to achieve the desired speed and was subsequently removed from service. Then, on Thursday, an air conditioning malfunction required another rake to be withdrawn.

The incident on Thursday caused minimal disruption. However, on July 2, the withdrawal led to long queues at Ghatkopar, Andheri, and other stations along the Metro-1 corridor. Commuters voiced their frustrations on social media, highlighting the overcrowding inside trains and on platforms. Milind Shah, a Versova resident who regularly travels to Marol, described the situation: "The metro halted at Andheri Station for almost 10 minutes, and passengers were simply rushing inside. The doors were kept open and nothing was being done to stop more people from entering."

Dhaval Shah from Andheri Lokhandwala suggested that MMOPL should increase the number of cars in metro trains from four to six to alleviate the congestion during peak hours, noting that the connection to Metro lines 2A and 7 has increased footfall.

MMOPL currently operates 16 four-car rakes, with two on standby, making 418 trips daily. According to sources, a five-minute delay during peak hours at Ghatkopar can result in a backlog of around 1,500 to 2,000 commuters. However, with back-to-back additional services, this can be cleared in five to ten minutes.

Infrastructure Developments

On July 4, the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) installed new escalators to improve connectivity between the railway and metro stations at Ghatkopar. MRVC has planned six escalators for Ghatkopar, with two on the east side now open to the public. Central Railway and MMOPL share Ghatkopar station on the west side, where long queues of metro passengers often spill onto the railway premises.

Financial Challenges

The Maharashtra government recently refused to take over a stake in MMOPL, valued at Rs 4,000 crore, after several irregularities in technical, financial, human resources, assets, and operations. There is now speculation that the government might settle the debt of Reliance Infrastructure by making a one-time payment to the six lenders.