The smallest Metro train in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, comprising three coaches, began operations at 3 pm on Friday to the relief of lakhs of Navi Mumbaikars, who had been waiting for it for over a decade. “The three coaches will be insufficient later. But the good news is that the Metro has finally started. We have only seen the pillars standing for so long,” Belapur resident K R Iyer said. 

Navi Mumbai resident Arindam Mahapatra said, “In the end, it was worth the wait. The new Metro will not only cut down my travel expenses, it will also be beneficial for those who want to travel in comfort without having to face autorickshaw refusal at night. My main request to CIDCO [City and Industrial Development Corporation] would be to put in place the return ticket facility at all stations as currently only Belapur Terminal has it.”