Mumbai Metro Line 1, also referred to as Metro One, is Mumbai’s first east-west metro line. On Sunday, the metro line celebrated its 11th year of operation. On the 11.4-kilometer Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) line, more than 111 crore passengers have been transported.
Ghatkopar has seen around 30 crore visits since it was opened, with Andheri ranking in second with 23 crore, then Saki Naka with 11 crore.
The first public-private partnership in India, Mumbai Metro One, was built by Reliance Infrastructure and MMRDA. Till now, it has travelled 1.45 crore miles and it has also operated over 12.66 lakh train journeys. Along with that, Mumbai Metro One also consistently delivers an exceptional punctuality rate of 99.99%, which is quite commendable.
The Blue Line that connects the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai spans 12 stations and also minimises commuting times from 90 minutes to just 21 minutes. With 30 crore passengers, Ghatkopar still continues to be the busiest station. Andheri (23 crore) and Saki Naka (11 crore) are next in the queue after Ghatkopar.
Mumbai’s transportation issues are now being lessened and lessened by Metro One’s seamless integration with Metro Lines 2A, 3 and Metro Line 7. Having won more than 40 national and international prizes for sustainability, efficiency and innovation, Mumbai Metro One has established itself as a very essential urban lifeline, and it also shows how smart infrastructure can revolutionise urban life.
“Over the years, the Metro has evolved into more than just a transport link. It has become an integral part of Mumbai’s daily commute, offering speed, safety, and seamless connectivity,” a Metro One spokesperson said. The line connects two of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, Ghatkopar and Andheri and has played a key role in reducing travel time between Versova and Ghatkopar from 90 minutes to just 21 minutes.
Additionally, the foot traffic at major stations shows that commuters favour the line; since its establishment, Ghatkopar has seen around 30 crore passengers, Andheri 23 crore and Saki Naka 11 crore. Recently, the line has received praise for lowering bottlenecks during peak hours, establishing short loop operations between Andheri and Ghatkopar, and enabling quicker turnaround times without interfering with full-length operations.
Faster east-west and north-south travel has been made possible by recent connections with other Metro lines, including Line 2A at D N Nagar, Line 7 at Western Express Highway and Line 3 at Marol Naka. The strain on suburban rail and road networks has also decreased as a result of this multi-corridor connectivity.