June 16, 2025: Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) has officially discontinued its short-loop shuttle service between Andheri and Ghatkopar, effective June 16 2025. Introduced in March to ease congestion during peak travel times, the service was withdrawn after three months due to underwhelming ridership and logistical difficulties.
The shuttle was intended to decongest the busy Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor by operating additional services solely between Andheri and Ghatkopar during rush hours. However, MMOPL’s internal assessments showed a significant disparity in passenger volumes. While the corridor as a whole recorded approximately 455,000 daily commuters, the footfall at stations such as Versova, DN Nagar, and Azad Nagar stood at just 61,000—well below expectations.
Following the service’s discontinuation, MMOPL has revised its train schedule. From June 16, the interval between metro trains, known as headway, has been reduced from 205 to 200 seconds in an effort to boost service frequency and reduce waiting times during peak periods. Previously, under the shuttle arrangement, headways had been adjusted from 220 to 205 seconds along the Andheri-Ghatkopar stretch. Nevertheless, persistent crowding has prompted this strategic realignment.
Regular passengers have voiced concerns about overcrowding, suggesting longer trains as a long-term remedy. Dhaval Shah, a commuter from Andheri, remarked that the existing four-car trains are often overwhelmed, and that expanding to six-car rakes could ease the pressure.
Since its launch in June 2014, Metro Line 1 has become a vital part of Mumbai’s urban transit system, carrying between 450,000 and 500,000 passengers daily and clocking over 1.11 billion journeys in the past 11 years. MMOPL remains committed to enhancing commuter experience, and while the shuttle did not yield the desired results, the company’s adaptive strategy reflects its focus on operational efficiency and commuter needs.
Source: urban Acres
