The absence of mobile connectivity emerged as the biggest handicap for commuters on the first day of operations on the final stretch of the Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3. Heavy crowding was also witnessed in the evening rush hour, with the number of passengers reaching 1,18,286 by 7 pm.
Commuters who got on the train from Acharya Atre Chowk, Worli, on Thursday morning
With ticketing apps rendered useless underground, passengers were forced to fall back on cash transactions. Unless one books tickets outside, cash remains the only reliable option for now. At the brand-new Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Metro (CSMT) station, signboards indicating the station name were noticeably absent.
Passengers navigate their way through Cuffe Parade station on the final stretch of the Aqua Line 3
Adding to the confusion, the station was used by pedestrians as a makeshift subway, a trend that may lead to security and crowding issues. If non-passengers keep flooding the station, the purpose of controlled entry will be defeated.
Several of the eleven new stations on the line, meanwhile, looked dusty and incomplete, as work was still pending. “The stations need one more round of housekeeping before they can truly be called world-class,” remarked Rupak R, a commuter.
Security concerns
While uniformed staff managed crowd control at the concourse and platform points, there was little visible security inside the trains. Upper-level road connections, particularly at CSMT, appeared vulnerable and in need of constant surveillance. Worryingly, hawkers from the existing CSMT subway seemed eager to spill into the Metro space. If unchecked, the hard-won comfort afforded to commuters who desire an encroachment-free Metro may not last long.
Passengers travel from Cuffe Parade to Vidhan Bhavan station on final stretch of Aqua Line 3, which was opened on Thursday. Pic/SATEJ SHINDE
The Vidhan Bhavan Metro station was closed for sometime due to overcrowding. The station was opened after a pause for a few minutes, though the crowd was eventually accommodated. Despite these issues, commuters expressed cautious optimism. “The travel time is excellent, and trains are smooth. But the finishing touches are missing. Mumbai deserves better,” said Srikant Joshi, a commuter.
