Title - Mumbai's upcoming rail network aims to ease strain on public transport system

The overtaxed public transport system in the Indian city of Mumbai will soon get some relief with the addition of the Metro rail later this year.

MUMBAI: The overtaxed public transport system in the Indian city of Mumbai will soon get some relief with the addition of the Metro rail later this year.Built at a cost of almost US$6.5 billion, it will complement the upcoming Monorail, which connects the most congested parts of the city, and the existing Suburban rail network.80 per cent of the almost 20 million people in Mumbai depend on public transport daily.Suburban trains connect different areas of the city and buses supplement these services by plying routes to and from the train stations.The trains carry a heavy load of about 7 million people every day.That load is increasing as the city's population grows, greatly taxing Mumbai's public transport system.With the Metro rail successfully completing its first trial run earlier this month, the load will soon be eased.The Metro rail is estimated to carry nearly 1.5 million passengers per day, when it starts its run at the end of the year.It will also cut travel time for commuters who currently have to take the bus to reach the suburban train stations, as the Metro rail serves areas outside the existing Suburban rail network.It seems most office workers, who spend an average of three to four hours travelling, do not mind paying more for the convenience the Metro will bring.Dimpee Shah, a PR consultant, said: "Metro definitely will make life convenient for all commuters because most of our time is consumed in travelling wherever we are going, because Mumbai is such a busy city.”

The Mumbai Metro promises a comfortable ride with air-conditioning and features to reduce noise and vibration.

The stations also have ample facilities for the physically-challenged, like elevators, escalators and passenger announcement systems.

But it was quite a challenge to build.

Prithviraj Chavan, chief minister of Maharashtra, said: “It is easy to build a railway or a metro in open areas but in congested areas like Mumbai, to build an over-ground metro was a huge challenge.”

There were some accidents during the construction of the Metro, where slabs and cranes collapsed, killing and injuring several people.

The impact of these incidents has not been lost on the public.

Girish Vazirani, a car dealer, said: "I wouldn't use the Metro for the next six months for sure. You saw the bridge dropping, people dying? I wouldn't take that risk. So I would see, if it goes good for six eight months, then I would also probably travel.”

It is hoped that through these infrastructure improvements, Mumbai will be a step closer to its goal of becoming an international business hub.