Mumbai Metro-3: Ticketing, Infra Hiccups On Day 1, Last-Mile Connectivity Could Be Long-Term Issue

If you enter any one of the 10 state-of-the-art stations on the newly inaugurated section on the Mumbai Metro-3, or Aqua line, it looks and feels similar to those in foreign countries. But, a closer analysis will tell you that there are still some international standards to be set and met.

Broken tiles, corroded railings, roof leaks, out-of-order elevators, inaccessible washrooms and lack of signage to guide the elderly – these are some of the glaring issues at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) T1 stations, the former being one of the terminal stations on the opened stretch.

The Mumbai Metro-3 opened to the public on Monday. The 33.5-km route starts from Colaba-Seepz to Aarey, and the 12.69-km stretch between Aarey Colony and BKC was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5.

The authorities have envisioned for 13 lakh people to use the Metro services in the long run. But, for this goal to be achieved, international standards will have to be maintained for the kind of infrastructure on offer.

On Day 1, passengers were mostly out for joyrides on the new Metro. Besides “technical delays” on the line, people faced issues with buying the tickets as there is no UPI payment option at the kiosks.

Since the station is underground, mobile network connectivity for most service providers is weak, which could be a problem in the absence of WiFi. An app was launched for this, but commuters may be unable to access it due to network issues.

Accessibility is one of the major issues even in the long run, considering that a commuter will need to walk a lot even after entering the station.

The BKC, which has emerged as a major business hub in the last couple of years, is riddled with traffic snarls. An underground connectivity like the Metro is the only way forward for the convenience of commuters, especially office goers.

But, last-mile connectivity is a problem for now as the nearest stations on the local suburban lines — Western and Central – are 2.5 km and 3.5 km away, respectively. So, a person who goes to work at the Kurla stretch of the BKC, will still have to navigate the heavy traffic to travel to and from the Metro station.