First Escalator Serving New Indian Rail Station Unveiled

The first escalator serving Siddhivinayak Metro Station, part of Mumbai Metro Line 3, or MML-3, on India’s west coast is now operational, The Free Press Journal reports. Mumbai Metro Rail Corp. (MMRC) Managing Director Ranji Singh Deol observed work was done in only 18 days, and the unit was unveiled during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration on September 10. The escalator can carry 7,300 passengers per h at up to 0.65 m/s or 6,000 passengers per h at up to 0.5 m/s. Operated by MMRC, the 33.5-km-long line will be the first underground line in Mumbai, running along the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor and connecting key financial hubs and, for the first time, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Incorporating heritage stations that include Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Churchgate, MML-3 is expected to reduce traffic congestion by up to 35% and cut travel time from Cuffe Parade to the airport in half.