Metro One ridership goes up by 40k after Gokhale bridge closure

Mumbai: The closure of Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge in Andheri on November 3 has led to an increase in the ridership of Metro One

Mumbai: The closure of Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge in Andheri on November 3 has led to an increase in the ridership of Metro One. In the last two weeks, around 40,000 commuters opted for the metro.

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Before the closure, the daily ridership was around 3.40 lakh and the current weekday ridership is 3.80 lakh.

Besides Metro One, traffic on the alternate routes also witnessed an increase after the bridge closure.

“The increase in ridership can also be attributed to the end of the Diwali season. If we compare to the start of the festive season the ridership on the first week of October was 3.60 lakh,” said a spokesperson of Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL).

Commuters have been demanding additional two compartments on the Metro One route for the last few months.

Karan Jotwani, co-founder, of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association said, “We have written to various authorities, including the MMOPL to increase the number of compartments on this metro route. This is the only metro line that has four compartments while all others in the city have six. During peak hours, the metro is packed to capacity and at times we tend to feel claustrophobic.”

MMOPL initially suggested that if footfalls increase, they will provide additional services on this route. “We have been continuously monitoring the ridership trends and have a train on standby to start additional services due to the surge in footfall. We can carry 5.20 lakh per day and in the past, this has been achieved. However, as of now, the current ridership is only 73% of 5.20 lakh. We will consider enhancing capacity once the ridership reaches close to the maximum capacity,” said a spokesperson of MMOPL.

Meanwhile, experts cite this sudden shift from private to public transport as forced. Pankaj Joshi, principal director, of Urban Centre, Mumbai, said, “This migration from private to public transport is a positive move but it should have been planned. As more metro lines open up and commuters find quick and affordable modes of transport the shift to public transport will happen. The current shift is the result of a sudden decision taken by the authorities.”