RATP Dev and Transdev teamed up in their joint venture in Asia to win a five-year contract to operate and maintain the infrastructure for the Mumbai line.
Mumbai’s line 1, at 12 km in length with 12 stations all overhead and built on a viaduct, is the first in the city, the fifth most populated conglomeration in the world with a population of 22 million. The line is part of a global project that includes at least three other lines totalling 90 km.
The line connects the city’s eastern and western suburbs and has radically changed the daily life of people who previously depended on a bus network that suffered from traffic congestion. Some passengers have saved up to two hours a day.
Average line patronage is now up to 260,000 passengers per day, which should continue to rise in parallel with the increase in the city population, estimated at 4% per year.
The line is a fine achievement and a clear reference for RATP Dev and Transdev in India, where public transport will expand. The country is likely to become one of the world’s leading markets for metro services; 500 km of lines are scheduled in the next five years.