Let’s make the Metro experience enjoyable

The Metro-3 line from Aarey JVLR to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) is operational. Several new commuters were happy with the service and impressed with the infrastructure. However, others said connectivity to stations is an issue. Some said that autorickshaws will now use feeder routes to these stations. This could mean more customers for autowallahs, but they warned that commuters should not have to deal with a car mafia, which can jack up fares and hold commuters to ransom.

It is crucial that the metro avoids the problems faced by rail passengers. Access to and exit from train stations is obstructed by hawkers lining the sidewalks outside. Two-wheelers can be parked nearby, rickshaws jostle for space, there is a general hustle and bustle with commuters weaving through vehicles, hawkers and the general public and there are many obstacles to reach the station. If we can keep metro stations free from this menace, it will be a lesson well learned.

Then there are car and feeder routes. We may also add taxis as lines open in south Mumbai. It is imperative that authorities ensure that commuters are not kidnapped. There are public transport modes to and from stations that charge shared passengers at will. Sometimes even individual commuters are told that the vehicle will not run until they cough up an expensive amount. This usually happens during rush hours or, when there is a crisis in the city, and people are desperate to get home. Then it is these people who have a very nice day. We must ensure that the area outside our metro stations is clean, orderly, well marked and brightly lit and that vehicles operating on the feeder routes are well regulated. The subway commute is a holistic experience, not just a train ride. Let’s take an overarching approach to ensure a pleasant ecosystem.