How Mumbai Welcomed New Metro: From Puja Thali to Sheer Wonder at Luxury & Drastic Cut in Travel Time

Mumbai residents are ecstatic about the reduced travel time and the “hi-tech” experience of the two new Metro lines – 2A and 7 covering Andheri to Dahisar in 75 minutes – as many shared their first ride experiences on social media. For the more urban and city-bred commuter, it was all about skipping traffic congestion but there were also those who came from outside Mumbai to experience a Metro ride for the first time.

The much-awaited lines became operational on Friday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated them. As is evident from the collective jubilation of many, the Metro is not only a matter of pride for the business capital of India but will decongest major arterial roads.

From shorter travel time to the common mobility card and overall state-of-the-art experience, commuters are documenting their Metro rides and putting them out on social media.

Here are some reactions from people, which show what Mumbai Metro means for them and how it will transform their lives:

A couple was so ecstatic that they brought puja material — coconut and prashad — to welcome the new Metro. In a video posted by Twitter user Karan Tushar Ludhar (@kanutsharma), the couple is talking about their first ever Metro experience. “Have sat on a Metro in any Indian city for the first time. I am liking this a lot, and will be offering puja at the Sai Baba Mandir. By God’s will, India will keep making such progress,” said the husband.

The video, ‘Mumbai Gundavali se Chali First Metro Train | People Reaction | First Journey Gundavali to Dahisar’, was originally posted by YouTube channel Manoranjan Katta and shared on Twitter.

A Twitter user Srini (@srini091),however, documented the whole journey with photographs and videos. Creating a thread on the microblogging site, the person explained how they got the common mobility card saying it took all of 10 minutes to complete the process. They also said the integration between the new lines is “super convenient at WEH/Gundavali station”. The user posted a detailed account of amenities available at the Metro stations as well as how the mobility card works.

During the inauguration, the prime minister also launched the MUMBAI 1 Mobile App and National Common Mobility Card (Mumbai 1). The app, which can be shown at the entry gates of Metro stations, will facilitate ease of travel. It supports digital payment to buy tickets through UPI.

The mobility card will initially be used in Metro corridors and can be extended to other modes of mass public transit, including local trains and buses as well. Commuters will not need to carry multiple cards or cash as the NCMC card will enable quick, contact-less digital transactions, easing the process with a seamless experience.

But, people were most excited about reduced travel time. The new Metro lines will not only cut travel time between Andheri and Dahisar to 75 minutes but also ease traffic on Western Express Highway and SV Road, which are two of the busiest routes in the city.

A Twitter user Hardik Rajgor (@Hardism) said the new lines will cut down their office commute time and cost by half. The person said it will life will be better for “lakhs of Mumbaikars like me”.

Another user Tejas (@TejasParkar45) said they travelled from Gundavali to Kurar in 16 mins for only Rs 20, and overall travel time from office to home was a maximum of 35 minutes now.

A Twitter user said they reached Andheri from Malad in 15 minutes, and it had saved a lot of time and money. The person even tagged Prime Minister Modi, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis.

Another Twitter user Ishita Shahade (@vloggerishh) said they had reached Kandivali in 20 minutes on Line 7 from Andheri. The person said Mumbai residents will now be able to skip traffic jams and hectic travel.

A Twitter user Dhwani (@Dhwani_1997) said Metro Line 2A reduced their two hours of travel time to 45 minutes, while a user Hrishi (@Hrishix_) said the distance between Andheri and Dahanukarwadi was only 20 minutes on the Metro that earlier took an hour and a half. The person also praised the PM and Fadnavis, saying it would not have been possible without them.

Pratik Karpe, the Mumbai BJP secretary and incharge of social media and IT cell, thanked the “triple engine sarkar” under PM Modi and Fadnavis. He said two days ago, it took 25 minutes to cover a distance of 1 km but with the Metro, Mumbai residents could now cover a distance of 9 km in 13 minutes.

Some Twitter users spoke about the “hi-tech” experience of the new Metro while others expressed pride in the infrastructure development of the city. A Twitter user @pkalp01 narrated how people were clicking selfies on the train and praising the platform screen doors by comparing them to those seen in the London Underground. The user also mentioned that many were spotted applying for the SBI Metro card and enquiring about the pass, which will soon be available.

A Twitter user HARSSH A SINGH (@HarsshSolo) said the stations on the new Metro had “high tech doors, digital station displays”. The person posted a video saying he dumped his car, which was stuck in traffic and decided to ride the Metro from Upper Oshiwara.

Calling it a “lovely experience”, a Twitter user Karan Jotwani (@reachkaran) said the Oshiwara Metro station was a four-minute walk from the Serenity housing complex in the area.

Modi, while launching the lines, had lauded the development in Mumbai, saying the ‘jodi’ of Shinde and Fadnavis will make the dreams of Mumbai’s citizens come true. He was also pictured using the escalator in one of the stations and even interacted with youngsters, women and metro rail workers after he boarded the Metro train. He travelled between Gundavali and Mogra stations, which are part of the Metro line 7 phase 2. Shinde and Fadnavis accompanied the PM during the ride.

The lines 2A and 7 have been built at a cost of around Rs 12,600 crore. These lines comprise a 35-km elevated corridor stretching from Andheri to Dahisar in suburban Mumbai. The 18.6-km Metro line 2A connects suburban Dahisar (East) with the 16.5-km DN Nagar (yellow line), while the Metro line 7 joins Andheri (East) with Dahisar (East).

The foundation stones of these lines were laid by PM Modi in 2015.

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