One more 'make in India' metro rake has been added to the fleet of Mumbai Metro Lines 2A and 7 on August 15, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. It was virtually flagged off by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in the presence of other officials.
According to the Maha Mumbai Metro Rail Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL) – the project implementing authority – this new rake named Azadi Express will increase the number of trips.
SVR Srinivas, Metropolitan Commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said, “The Azadi Express will now add 18 trips, taking the total number of trips to 172. This will help reduce the time interval between trips from 12 minutes to about 10 minutes, helping passengers save time.”
This newly added metro rake is covered in the symbolism of the national flag. Images of Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, historical castles of Maharashtra and many other heritage monuments are also displayed on the Azadi Express.
The Mumbai Metro Line 2A (DN Nagar to Dahisar) and 7 (Dahisar E to Andheri E) were partially launched in April, with the 20 km stretch between Dhanukarwadi and Aarey being opened to the public. Nearly 30,000 commuters travel on this stretch daily.
The MMRDA aims to complete the remaining stretch on these two lines by end of this year. This will eventually increase the ridership in the coming years, as targeted.
