Mumbai Metro One To Introduce Short-Trip Services Between Ghatkopar And Andheri To Ease Peak Hour Congestion

In a move aimed at easing congestion and enhancing capacity, Mumbai Metro One is set to introduce shorter trip services between Ghatkopar and Andheri railway station during peak hours, instead of running full-length trips to Versova, according to a report by The Indian Express.

A Metro One official confirmed to IE, the development, stating that a trial run was conducted on 6 March, with more test runs planned based on commuter feedback.

Nearly 88 per cent of Metro One’s daily passengers travel between Ghatkopar and Andheri and only 12 per cent journey beyond Andheri to Versova. Metro One is the city’s first elevated metro corridor operated by Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra).

The shorter trips will run during the morning rush (8:30 am–10:30 am) and evening peak hours (6 pm–8 pm) to better serve this concentrated commuter base.

The introduction of these short-distance services is projected to boost the metro's carrying capacity by 5,000 additional passengers per hour during peak hours.

Currently, the metro ferries around 60,000 commuters during peak times, a figure expected to rise by 8 per cent with the new arrangement.

Metro One, spanning 11 km and linking Ghatkopar to Versova via Andheri, runs 430 trips daily using 16 rakes, maintaining a frequency of 3 minutes 40 seconds. The frequency is expected to improve to 3 minutes 15 seconds following the introduction of the short-trip services.

In a related development, the National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) has taken over Metro One’s loan from Indian banks, following the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) dropping its takeover plan.

The official added that Metro One had been burdened with high-interest payments and NARCL is now restructuring the loan to enhance financial stability. The loan transfer was completed in December 2024.