Commuting in Mumbai - The Past & Present

The industrial hub of Mumbai is a bustling city with millions of people calling it home and small to large companies and other businesses thriving on its ground. But, like anything in this world, it comes with its pros and cons. While this grand city is, sure enough, a dream city in terms of opportunities, it is not the case when it comes to travelling. The lack of parking, population density, the orientation of the city and terrible traffic conditions are the main culprits for this dilemma. But due to some amazing reason, this city doesn't come to a standstill and powers through each and every day! Let us take a look at how the localites find their way around this problem.

The Mumbai Local

It won't be an exaggeration if we call the Mumbai Suburban Rail Network the lifeline of this city. That is how vital this transport method is to its smooth working. We got to witness this during the tough pandemic days. When the train services were cancelled, the city literally came to a halt. This is expected when the daily ridership in this network is about 7 million. To put this into perspective, the entire population of New Zealand is only about 5 million!

Public Bus Transport

There are 7 bus lines in Mumbai, operating in different regions and bus routes. From the classic double-decker buses to the normal ones, this network connects every nook and corner of Mumbai. The daily ridership amounts to 2.5 million and is preferred by people who want to avoid the rush of the Mumbai local or to reach destinations that are not as economical to reach when the distance and fare from the railway station comes into the picture. Truly a ride for the common public.

Kaali Peeli Cabs

The former go-to choice for all Mumbaikers, the famous Kaali Peeli (Black and Yellow) cabs are now becoming a rare sight in the city streets. These iconic Padmini's rolling around the streets have been a part and parcel of this city's long history. Although they have made way for cab aggregators like Uber and Ola in recent times, some areas like South Mumbai feature only these beauties as an affordable transport option, since autos are banned in these areas. Despite the rickety sounds and the lack of air conditioning, they are still a primary choice when it comes to travelling in Mumbai.

Autos

If you see a bright flash of yellow and black zooming past you in Mumbai, then don't be startled because it is a common sight here. The skilled auto drivers here can squeeze past even the most congested roads and make sure you arrive on time. The metered fare, easy accessibility and round the clock availability makes it an unavoidable and pocket-friendly transport service.

While the history of travelling in Mumbai has remained constant through the decades, the modern transport methods are catching up and replacing the old in hopes of bettering the travel conditions for good. The fairly new networks are mentioned below.

Mumbai Metro

Having begun its operation in the year 2014, the Mumbai Metro has somewhat helped in reducing the crowds in the local trains and making some of the previously inaccessible areas of the now metropolitan regions well-connected. Now more and more routes and trains are coming up, much to the relief of the residents.

Cab Aggregators

The new-age trend of shared cabs found its way into Mumbai during 2007 in the form of Meru Cabs but found real traction with the introduction of Ola in 2010 and Uber in 2013. With premium service, affordable rates and technology-backed service, these transport services are taking over the city.

Bike Taxis

While this trend is not so popular in other countries, it works in a dynamic country like India and services like Rapido are the first entrants to this market. It began its service in 2020 and although it has temporarily come to a stop due to some legal issues, people are hopeful that services will resume sooner rather than later.

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