Mumbai Metro 3 is now becoming Mumbaikars’ go-to mode of transport for a comfortable and quick journey. Recently, the 33.5-km underground corridor, running from Cuffe Parade to Aarey JVLR, opened its final phase. Surprisingly, just a day after its opening, the metro witnessed over 159.1K passengers. Read to know more details.
Mumbai Metro 3 Sees Over 1.59 Lakh Passengers
The Aqua Line recorded around 1,56,456 passengers on its inaugural day of operations on October 9, Thursday. It was great to see so much crowd on the first day itself, but the second day had its own surprise. The numbers significantly increased the very next day. On Friday, the number of riders increased to 159,105 by 9 pm. The busiest part of the line is the section between Vidhan Bhavan and CSMT. Previously, many people who used to travel on this route by buses or shared taxis are now choosing to take the metro, reported Hindustan Times.
With the launch of the final phase of Aqua Line, the BEST bus service in the area saw fewer passengers than before because many people are now using the metro. Similarly, taxi drivers also reported 20%-30% fewer passengers. Some taxi unions are asking for designated taxi stands near metro stations to make commuting easier.
Also Read: First Look Of Mumbai Metro’s Cuffe Parade Station Out; All About South Mumbai’s First Metro Line
Long Queues And Digital Ticketing
On Thursday, many commuters faced problems such as long queues caused by digital ticketing issues and poor mobile connectivity. Addressing these issues, MMRCL introduced WhatsApp ticketing using QR codes at the station entrances. Ensuring that making calls, sending messages, and using mobile data becomes easier, till now, only Vodafone Idea and BSNL are providing mobile network connectivity on Metro 3.
Currently, this connectivity is available on the stretch between Aarey-JVLR and Acharya Atre Chowk in Worli, and it will be extended to cover the rest of the 11-km underground corridor in south Mumbai soon. However, Airtel and Jio users—who make up most of Mumbai’s mobile users—still have to wait to get network access on the line.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/@Dev_Fadnavis