Cable cars, moving walkways may link Metro and Railway stations

With work on multiple Metro corridors currently underway, authorities are mulling over connecting the city’s Metro and Railway stations via cable cars or moving walkways to ensure a seamless travel experience.

At present, work on Metro II-B (Dahisar-D N Nagar) and Metro VII (Dahisar-Andheri WEH) corridors is underway. Both corridors run parallel to the Western line of the city’s suburban rail network.

According to a Times of India report, authorities are considering multiple options for connecting the two modes given their proximity to Western Railway stations and number of daily commuters.

“We have appointed a consultant to recommend ways to ensure faster arrival and departure from Metro stations to railway stations,” the daily quoted Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Pravin Darade saying.

“Some options under consideration are a travelator or cable car,” he added.

Currently, while travelling across modes, commuters have to opt for rickshaws or buses – both of which can be unreliable and get bogged down by overcrowded roads.

However, the introduction of travelators or cable cars can cut down the travel time between Metro and Railway stations drastically by eliminating the dependency on the congested road network.

“The interchange facility will be a boon for commuters as it will allow people to switch between Metro and Railway seamlessly while reducing the traffic on the roads,” said Avinash Shetty, a banking professional from Andheri.

Although the decision garnered a positive response from most, some were skeptical about the implementation.

“The idea is good on paper, but who will be in charge of its financing and maintenance? The common man will suffer if the prices are raised and if the maintenance work keeps getting delegated by one department to the other,” said Atul Mishra from Kurla.

“The interchange options will also need to be planned strategically so that they don’t suffer the same fate as some skyways,” he added.