Mumbai suburban railway loses 44.65 lakh riders in April-June quarter

Mumbai’s suburban railway recorded a net decline of 44.65 lakh passengers in the April-June quarter compared with the same period last year, with total ridership falling 1.71 per cent, according to the reported figures. Passenger numbers dropped from 26.04 crore to 25.60 crore during the period.

The fall was led by lower travel in both Second and First Class. Second Class ridership declined 3 per cent, from 21.94 crore to 21.28 crore. First Class passengers fell 7.23 per cent, from 2.74 crore to 2.54 crore.

AC suburban travel moved in the opposite direction. Ridership in the air-conditioned services rose by nearly 30 per cent, increasing from 1.37 crore passengers to 1.78 crore in the April-June quarter.

The decline in overall suburban railway numbers has been partly attributed to competition from the Metro, particularly on corridors around Borivali-Dahisar and Andheri. The figures do not establish that Metro travel alone caused the railway decline.

The Yellow and Red Metro lines, which run parallel to parts of the Borivali-Dahisar suburban stretch, carried 2.26 crore passengers between April and June. The Aqua Line, overlapping with parts of the Andheri-Colaba corridor, recorded another 1.65 crore rides during the same period.

Class-wise ridership movement

The data shows a shift within the suburban railway’s passenger mix during the quarter. While Second Class remained the largest category, its numbers fell by 66 lakh compared with the same period last year. First Class ridership was lower by 20 lakh. The increase in AC travel amounted to 41 lakh passengers.

Taken together, the reported figures show lower overall suburban railway use alongside increased AC travel and substantial Metro ridership on routes that overlap parts of the suburban network. The comparison covers April to June this year against the corresponding quarter last year.