The Mumbai Suburban Railway is an offshoot of the first passenger railway built by the British East India Company and is also the oldest railway system in Asia. The first train was run by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (now Central Railway) between Bori Bunder (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Thane, a distance of 34 km. The 14-coach train took 1.25 h to complete the 34 km journey, with a halt at Sion to refill the train’s water tanks.
I was born with the desire to develop Mumbai’s transportation options. I am 168 years old and was born and raised in Bombay. I’m riding the Mumbai Suburban local line. The first passenger train ran between Bori Bunder (Bombay) and Thane, a distance of 34 kilometres, on April 16, 1853. I had thirteen carriages and was pulled by three locomotives called Sahib, Sultan, and Sindh. In the last 20 to 30 years, the population of Mumbai has exploded. As a consequence, there is a lane conjunction.
In 1964, city trams were also phased out, and the local train became the primary mode of transportation. I’ve earned the reputation of being the world’s busiest train. This station’s web of coloured network lines may seem perplexing to you, but I’ve been following this trend for over a decade. I’m sure you’re curious why I’m reintroducing myself and what my agenda is after all these years. The answer is simple: 9 people are killed every day on the Mumbai suburban network as they fall off trains during rush hour.
The passenger has 15 to 35 seconds to board or disembark when the train is stopped. There are doors, but they are never locked. It’s scary to watch, but I think they realize how valuable fresh air is. I’m here to tell you about the Mumbai train journey so far, and how our rail transportation has changed dramatically after I made some new friends, such as metro and monorail, which I’m sure some of my passengers are unaware of.
After the shutdown of trams, there was no rapid transit system left in the city. I was a local train was there but not meant for a rapid transport system. There was an urgent need for a fast mode of transport.
So in 1975 (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) MMRDA established for a reason to make plans and policies, Implement the project so that Mumbai housing, transport, and the environment get improve.
Evolution of Mumbai Metro Rail
Metro and BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) and Monorail were planned to add to the Mumbai transport system. The construction has started in 2008 for Metro and 2009 for Monorail. Monorail started in Feb 2014 from Chembur to Wadala and also connected to us in harbour line. It was a total of 8.9km in length connecting 7 stations which cost nearly 1,100 crores.
The same year in June 2014 Metro line 1 also started which is 11.4km in length connecting 12 stations from Versova to Ghatkopar which cost 4,300 crores and operated by MMOPL (Mumbai Metro One Private Limited) which is a joint venture of MMRDA (26%), Reliance Infrastructure (69%), and RATP Transdev, France(5%) Mumbai Metro is the first rapid transit system serving the Mumbai Metropolitan region in Maharashtra.Its purpose is to improve connectivity in the Mumbai Metro region.
Presently it is India’s 12th longest and Maharashtra’s 2nd longest metro network after Nagpur metro. Right now 180 km length is under construction which shall complete by 2022.
In March 2019 Monorail extended from Wadala to Jacob circle which is 11.2 km in length. It cost 1900 crores to build by MMRDA. This is the present operational Network of Metro and Monorail. But Metro Line 2,3,4,5,7,&9 is under construction and line 8,10,11,12,13 & 14 is planned in which some lines are already approved. Apart from this Navi Mumbai metro is being planned. Every line in Mumbai metro is color-coded represented in numbers and color.
Metro line 1 is BLUE. Line 2 is yellow which is under construction. It is separated in the 2nd phase which is 2A and 2B. 2A is
18.6 km long from Dahisar to D.N Nagar including 17 stations. Construction started in 2016 and the estimated date to open is May 2021. It cost lumpsum 6400 crores. 2B will be 23.6km in length from D.N Nagar to Mandala. Construction started in 2018 and the estimated date to open is 2022.it will cost approx. 11000crores.
Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua) – Underground metro network Length- 33.5km
27 Station- Cuffe Parade to Aarey colony. Link- Monorail and Metrorail.
Estimated cost- 26,000 crore Deadline-2022
Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Green)
Elevated line separated in two-phase 4&4A. Length- 35km
34 Station – Wadala to Gaimukh
Estimated cost 16,000 crores Deadline-2022
Mumbai Metro Line 5 (Orange) Length- 24.9km
17 stations – Kapurbawdi to Bhiwandi and end at Kalyan (APMC) Estimated cost -8,400 crore
Deadline 2022
Mumbai Metro Line 6 (Pink) Length- 14.5km
13 stations – Lokhandwala (SS Nagar) to Virkhroli Estimated cost – 6,700 crore
Deadline 2022
Mumbai Metro Line 7 (Red)
Separated in two phases 7 & 7A Length- 16.5km
14 stations – Dahisar (East) to Mumbai International Airport. Estimated cost – 7,000 crore
Deadline -2022
Mumbai Metro Line 8 (Gold)
This is a proposed metro line between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport.[74] It will connect Mumbai airport to upcoming Navi Mumbai airport • and its length would be approx 32 km.
Expected Cost: ₹15,000 crore approx.
Expected time of completion: October 2026
Expected Daily Ridership: 3 Lakh
Mumbai Metro Line 9 (Red)
Is the extension of line 7 & Length- 10.3km. There will be 8 stations – Dahisar to SCB Stadium ends at Indralok. Estimated cost – 6,500 crore
Deadline 2024
Navi Mumbai Metro
Come under- CIDCO (City & Industrial Development Corporation) Length-11.1 km
11 stations – CBD Belapur to Pendhar Estimated cost – 2000 crore
Deadline 2021
This was the Mumbai Metro Network (operational and under construction), which would have a total length of 193 kilometre’s until completed. After Delhi metro, it will become India’s second-largest metro network. And the overall cost will be 90,000 crores, making it one of India’s largest construction projects. My friend metro and monorail, some of which are now operating and others which are in the works, have come to take away my dark tag as the world’s busiest and packed local train, and I’m hoping that this will fix the traffic issue as well as the overcrowding local train problem.
Toh Ye Mai Tha (Suburban Local train), Aur Ye Hamare Friend the (Metro and Mono Rail), Aur yaha Hamari aur transportation system ki rescues ho Rahi h.
