Metro 1’s mixed-loop plan draws commuters’ ire

The revised system aims to add services to the Ghatkopar-Andheri section, the more heavily used section of the corridor, without increasing services across the entire line. MMOPL also says terminating metro trains at Andheri will benefit commuters who want to switch to local trains on the Western Railway

MUMBAI: The mixed-loop system introduced on the Metro 1 corridor to reduce wait time during peak hours has upset a section of commuters. Many have started an online petition to rally support for their opposition to the decision to alternate short-loop trains with full-loop services on the Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova route.

Mumbai,India 8-14-2018 Mumbai's reliance metro rail has eased traffic congestion on Andheri Kurla road. More and more people are travelling by metro in the city (Shutterstock)

Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL) rolled out the mixed-loop system on August 10, where shorter trains, running only between Ghatkopar and Andheri, alternate with services that run the length of the Ghatkopar-Versova route.

The revised system aims to add services to the Ghatkopar-Andheri section, the more heavily used section of the corridor, without increasing services across the entire line. MMOPL also says terminating metro trains at Andheri will benefit commuters who want to switch to local trains on the Western Railway.

Under a revised time-table, shorter or short-loop trains will operate between 6.23pm and 8.24pm, thereby reducing the gap between trains.

However, commuters travelling beyond Andheri, towards Versova, Azad Nagar and DN Nagar, are not happy. The argument that short-loop trains facilitate the transfer to the suburban local train network does not hold as Metro Line 1 already has an interchange with Metro Line 2A at DN Nagar and Line 7 at WEH station. They say increasing the number of coaches, from the current four to six, is a more sustainable solution to capacity constraints.

“The mixed-loop pattern has been tried before. The arrangement was subsequently withdrawn following complaints. Reintroducing it is leading to congestion. We have been demanding an increase in the number of coaches but that has not happened,” said Dhaval Shah, a member of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association.

The mixed-loop operation is meant to increase the frequency and carrying capacity of trains on what MMOPL says is the busiest section of the corridor. The operator says more than 85% of its commuters travel between Ghatkopar and Andheri. The new arrangement has reduced peak-hour wait times on this section from 3 minutes, 20 seconds to around 3 minutes.

MMOPL says this would increase carrying capacity by more than 20%, equivalent to around 28,000 additional commuters. Weekday services have also been increased from 476 to 484 trips.

“The mixed-loop operations are part of Mumbai Metro One’s ongoing efforts to optimise train operations and maximise the capacity of our existing infrastructure. By introducing this operational innovation during peak hours, we aim to reduce waiting times, enhance carrying capacity and provide faster, more convenient and reliable services,” said a spokesperson for MMOPL.

The operator said it was monitoring passenger movement, platform crowding and train occupancy, and will review the operating pattern based on commuter requirements and operational data.

However, commuters say an increase in frequency should not come at the cost of convenience for passengers. They say passenger numbers have risen substantially in the last decade, with Metro 1 ferrying 550,000 commuters daily.