MUMBAI: The ongoing BEST bus strike on Friday led to a significant rise in metro ridership across Mumbai, with multiple metro corridors witnessing higher passenger footfalls as commuters switched to rail-based transport amid disruption to bus services.
Metro One Sees Sharpest Surge
Mumbai metro one, which operates the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor, recorded the sharpest surge. The operator said it carried around 38,000 additional commuters till 5.30 pm compared to a normal working day and expected the figure to touch nearly 60,000 by the end of service hours. To cater to the increased demand, metro one operated 10 additional trips, taking the total number of services from 476 to 486. The operator maintained train frequencies of 3 minutes 20 seconds during peak hours and 5 minutes 55 seconds during non-peak periods. Metro one said it strengthened operations and closely monitored passenger demand throughout the day.
Other Metro Corridors Also See Increase
Other metro corridors also registered an increase in ridership. Metro lines 2A (Dahisar-Andheri West), 7 (Andheri East-Dahisar), 9A (Gundavali-Kashigaon) and Phase I of Metro line 2B (Chembur-Mandale) together carried 2,48,453 passengers till 7 pm on Friday, compared to 2,34,593 passengers during the corresponding period on Thursday, an increase of nearly 14,000 commuters.
Metro 3 Records Substantial Jump
Mumbai metro 3 also witnessed a substantial jump in ridership. The Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor carried 1,81,716 passengers till 7 pm on Friday, compared to 1,51,502 passengers on Thursday and 1,44,291 passengers on the previous Friday (June 12). The figures indicate an increase of over 30,000 passengers in a day and nearly 37,500 passengers compared to the corresponding Friday last week.
Last-Mile Connectivity Challenges
The surge in metro patronage coincided with the second Friday of MMRDA’s #BKCMovesTogether initiative, which encourages office-goers to use public transport while travelling to Bandra-Kurla Complex. However, commuters reported difficulties in finding affordable last-mile transport due to the BEST strike. Several office-goers complained of long waits for autos and app-based cabs and a steep rise in fares. Some reported evening cab fares increasing nearly threefold, while shared auto fares near metro stations were also significantly higher than usual.
Despite the last-mile challenges, metro services emerged as a crucial transport alternative for thousands of commuters affected by the disruption in BEST bus operations, helping maintain connectivity across the city during the strike.
