Mumbai Metro One proposes 22 new coaches to ease rush-hour crowding on Blue Line

Mumbai Metro One is set for a capacity boost with 22 additional coaches proposed for the cityrsquos oldest Metro line to ease rushhour crowding The Mumbai Metro One Private Limited MMOPL has initiated procurement of the coaches which will be used to convert existing fourcar trains on the VersovaAndheriGhatkopar corridor into sixcar formationsThe upgrade is expected to increase capacity by more than 50 per cent However the procurement commissioning and deployment of the coaches remain subject to MMOPLrsquos ongoing financial restructuring and availability of funds An accelerated delivery schedule has been targeted with timely financial support crucial to getting the additional capacity on to the tracksA long waitFile picSayyed Sameer AbediThe need for longer trains on Metro Line 1 has been evident for years midday had highlighted in its June 30 2018 edition how overcrowding had made travel on the line increasingly difficult with fourcar trains Experts had pointed out that the line had been designed for sixcar trains with platforms and supporting infrastructure capable of accommodating the longer formations The proposed upgrade would add capacity without requiring a new line or another trackFar more commuters will be accommodatedA fourcar rake carries around 1178 passengers while a sixcar formation can accommodate about 1792 mdash an increase of around 614 passengers per train The 114km corridor currently operates with fourcar formations The proposed 22 additional coaches will allow the existing trains to be converted to sixcar formationsBlue Line under pressureThe pressure on the Blue Line has grown as Mumbairsquos Metro network has expanded Aqua Line 3 Yellow Line 2A and Red Line 7 now feed passengers into the system making stations such as Marol Naka and Western Express Highway important interchange points alongside Andheri and Ghatkopar This has added to peakhour pressure on the VersovaAndheriGhatkopar corridor which remains a key eastwest connectionFinancial speed breakerMMOPL has initiated procurement with technical support from the existing original equipment manufacturers OEMs with the aim of ensuring that the new coaches can be integrated with the existing rolling stock and systems The upgrade is expected to be implemented in phases However the pace of procurement will depend on MMOPLrsquos ongoing financial restructuring and availability of fundsAn MMOPL official said ldquoMMOPL has initiated the augmentation of Mumbai Metro Line1 capacity from 4car to 6car trains to address peakhour congestion and cater to growing ridership Accordingly procurement of 22 additional coaches has been initiated with technical support from the existing OEMs to ensure seamless integration with the existing rolling stock and systems An accelerated delivery schedule has been envisaged However progress of the procurement is contingent upon the ongoing financial restructuring and availability of funds Timely financial support will therefore be critical to expedite procurement commissioning and deployment of the additional capacityrdquoWhy six coaches matterDhaval Shah cofounder Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizensrsquo AssociationlsquoThere is a dire need to increase the number of coaches to six Provision of longer platforms is already in place Lakhs of commuters using Mumbai Metro Line 1 are badly impacted by overcrowding and poor travel experience due to decadeold capacity which hasnrsquot been upgradedIf things donrsquot change soon this can lead to personal injuries and stampedelike situations for commuters Line 1 is the only Metro line connecting east and west of Mumbai As Lines 2A 7 and 3 from the surrounding areas of south and north Mumbai Dahisar to Andheri are feeding more commuters into Line 1 now it would be prudent to increase coaches to sixrsquoShubham Padave commuterlsquoCrowding has persisted on the Blue Line especially at interchange hubs A sixcoach configuration could provide a sizable capacity boost and shorter dwell pressures during peak hoursrsquo