08 June,2024 07:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
The first Mumbai Metro line to run from Versova to Ghatkopar marked ten years of operation. During that time on Saturday, it made eleven lakh journeys with a 99 percent punctuality rate.
On June 8, 2014, the Mumbai Metro One - which was backed by Reliance Infrastructure - was inaugurated, signaling the beginning of the metro services in the city, which were primarily dependent on local trains.
"In the final ten years of our journey, we have delighted 970 million commuters with our great customer experience. We are incredibly glad to have reached this milestone. Mumbai Metro One said in a statement, "We are grateful for the unconditional love we have received from Mumbaikars, who have made us a lifeline in the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.
According to commuters, the Metro service not only reduced their travel time by half but has taken the load off the perennially crowded local trains in the metropolis and is an environment-friendly travel option, the PTI reported on Saturday.
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"People should celebrate 10 years of Mumbai Metro. The service has made travel convenient and easy. It would be great once other corridors in the city become operational," a commuter told the PTI.
The 12-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor has 12 stations, starting from Versova in the western suburbs to the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar.
Prasad Keluskar, sales manager of the Andheri Metro station, said, "We don't feel like it has been ten years. The number of commuters has increased, and the service has just eased the commute of travellers, cutting the travel time and rescuing them from traffic in the city," as per the PTI.
Around 4.5 lakh commuters travel on weekdays by Mumbai Metro One, which operates 418 trips daily, with a frequency of approximately 3.5 minutes during peak hours and 7 minutes during off-peak hours.
Mumbai Metro Lines 2A & 7 ridership crosses 100 million
Meanwhile, last month, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMMOCL) marked a historic milestone as the overall ridership of Metro Lines 2A and 7 exceeded 100 million. MMRDA chief Sanjay Mukherjee took to social media to make an announcement regarding the same.
In his social media post, he expressed gratitude to Mumbaikars for picking the Metro as their preferred means of transportation and also congratulated the team.
He wrote, "Proud day for MMRDA, MMMOCL as the total ridership of Metro Lines 2A and 7 reaches 100 million! A million thanks to Mumbaikars for choosing Metro as the preferred mode of travel. My congratulations to the team."
(with PTI inputs)