We depend on metro trains so deeply that they have quietly blended into our everyday lives. Every morning and evening, lakhs of people in Mumbai step into the same coaches, stand in the same corners, and get off at the same stations. We know our platforms, our exits, even where the doors will stop, often without really looking around. And because of this, many small details inside these trains go completely unnoticed. But now, an X user has brought to light a small artistic detail about Mumbai Metro’s Aqua Line that stirred a debate.
Ginkgo-Like Motifs Inside Mumbai’s Aqua Line Metro Are Getting Everyone Talking
Recently, an ex-user shared a photograph taken inside a Mumbai Metro Aqua Line (Line 3) train. The image showed the side panel of a metro seat. At first glance, it looked like a simple decorative carving in metal. A closer examination, however, showed that the pattern resembled fan-shaped ginkgo leaves, which are commonly found in East Asian countries like China, Korea, and Japan.
Along with the photo, the user wrote a caption that questioned this choice directly. He asked why Mumbai’s Aqua Line would feature ginkgo leaves as a design motif when the plant isn’t native to India and doesn’t grow here. He pointed out that ginkgo is a strongly East Asian symbol and argued that borrowing such imagery without context strips public design of its local identity. According to him, design without meaning becomes mere decoration.
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The Internet Notices And Reacts
As expected, the post travelled fast. Many people were surprised, some confused, and others amused. Some people weren’t even convinced it was ginkgo and wrote, “Thinking out loud, could be fish scales maybe?”
Others, who felt the criticism was unnecessary, commented, “Yahan dhang se roads nahi bante, aur functional metro mein aesthetic chahiye?” One even wrote, “It’s amusing how people always find something to cry about.”
But a large number of netizens tried to explain rather than dismiss the observation. One of the most repeated explanations was about Japanese involvement in the Aqua Line. Several users pointed out that Line 3 was built with the help of Japanese Official Development Assistance (JODA).
Others brought up manufacturing realities and shared, “Bangalore Metro coaches are made in China but branded as BEML.” One user even guessed, “These trains might be designed or built abroad, which explains the design language.” Some people even brought up advertisements and joked that the motif was part of a “Ghost of Yōtei” advertisement campaign on the Aqua Line.
Beyond the jokes and arguments, many users appreciated the original post for making people look at public design critically. One user commented, “Very good point. I hope more designers read this.”
What began as a quiet observation inside a metro coach turned into a layered conversation about identity, collaboration, and everyday design.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva/Sedanur Kunuk and @UghDitya/X
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