Mumbai metro glitch on Blue Line 1 leads to crowd panic and renews long standing demand for six coach trains
A service disruption on Mumbai Metro’s Blue Line (Line 1) on Monday morning led to stampede-like scenes at key stations, especially Ghatkopar, once again sparking public demand to upgrade trains from four to six coaches. The glitch occurred after one of the trains failed to attain its required speed and had to be pulled from service, leading to delays and overcrowding during peak hours. Though operations were later restored, the incident intensified criticism of the metro’s capacity and infrastructure planning.
Mumbai Metro Line 1 was originally designed to support six-car rakes, and experts argue that an upgrade can be executed with minimal modifications, as station platforms and systems already support longer trains. A six-coach rake would raise passenger capacity from 1,178 to 1,792 per train—a significant relief during rush hours. Commuters took to social media and media outlets to express their frustration. A daily metro rider, commented, “After seven decades, Mumbai got a Metro but not the common sense to design gates or platforms that handle crowd pressure.” one described the situation as a “near-stampede,” while another shared her ordeal of being unable to deboard due to the aggressive rush of passengers trying to board.
Several commuter associations, including the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association, have demanded swift action. “We need 6-coach trains and at least triple the number of rakes. Authorities must act before this turns fatal,” said a LOCA representative. Officials from Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), which operates Line 1 under a joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure and MMRDA, confirmed that plans are already underway to convert the existing four-coach rakes into six-coach configurations. However, progress has been delayed by legal disputes between MMOPL and MMRDA.
In 2023, an arbitral tribunal awarded MMOPL ₹992 crore over cost escalations, a figure now ballooned to ₹1,169 crore with interest. MMRDA challenged the ruling but failed to secure a stay. Meanwhile, other disputes over fare regulations and reimbursements remain unresolved.
Despite the operational and legal hurdles, commuters continue to demand immediate crowd control measures—including better staffing, stricter platform discipline, and faster implementation of the long-promised capacity upgrades.
