July 10, 2025: Mumbai’s first metro corridor — Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar — may soon see an upgrade in capacity, as Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) is planning to extend its current four-coach trains to six coaches. The move is aimed at addressing the persistent overcrowding experienced by nearly 500,000 daily commuters, particularly during peak hours.
MMOPL has submitted a proposal to its lenders, including the National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited through the India Debt Resolution Company Limited, for the procurement of additional coaches. If approved, the expanded rakes will enhance the carrying capacity on the 11-kilometre corridor, which currently operates 16 four-coach trains.
On Monday, a technical issue in one train led to severe overcrowding at Ghatkopar and Andheri stations after the affected train was withdrawn from service due to underperformance. The disruption led to cancelled trips and delays, with around 500 extra passengers accumulating at Ghatkopar station alone. The situation persisted for 45 minutes, resulting in long queues and delayed station entries.
Currently, Metro 1 operates 36 trips during peak hours at a frequency of 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Each trip accommodates around 1,800 passengers during peak hours and 1,500 during non-peak hours. Commuter requests for six-coach trains have been pending since the line opened 11 years ago.
MMOPL is also evaluating the reintroduction of short-loop services between Ghatkopar and Andheri, which earlier catered to 88% of commuters. These were paused in June due to lower ridership at Versova, DN Nagar, and Azad Nagar, which together contribute 12% of ridership.
Despite the pause, MMOPL continues to operate 452 trips daily and is focused on improving speed and reducing headway for better operational efficiency.
Source: Urban Acres
