As aqua line takes off, Mumbai’s taxis and buses are left behind

With the Aqua Line between Aarey and Cuffe Parade now operational Mumbairsquos traditional transport options kaalipeeli taxis and BEST buses are already feeling the squeezeWithin just two days of the Metrorsquos launch the cityrsquos commuting patterns have begun to shift leaving taxi stands halfempty and bus routes noticeably lighterAt Nariman Point a line of taxi drivers stood idle on Friday evening watching empty back seats instead of waving down passengersFewer commuters seen boarding BEST buses at Nariman PointldquoEarlier during peak office hours I barely got time to breathe Irsquod do 10ndash12 long trips between Nariman Point and CSMT from 5 pm to 9 pmrdquo said Maya Prasad Singh a taxi driver of 30 years ldquoNow I hardly get three or four passengers Everyonersquos taking the Metro itrsquos faster and cheaperrdquoAnother driver Krupashankar Shinde said ldquoWe managed to survive the app taxis in 2016 But now with bike taxis and the Metro we donrsquot know if wersquoll make it Earlier a few shared rides between CSMT and Nariman Point for R30 per person made our day Now people have just turned their backs on usrdquoTaxi driver Maya Prasad Singh waits for passengers at Nariman Point right Taxi driver Krupashankar Shinde at ChurchgateAnd the reason is clearA Metro ride from Nariman Point to CSMT costs R10 and takes under 10 minutes The same trip by taxi costs R80ndash100 and takes twice the time in trafficCommuters are happierldquoReaching Churchgate or CSMT from Nariman Point used to take 30 minutes in the eveningrdquo said Saurabh Patil a marketing professional ldquoNow itrsquos barely 10ndash12 minutes by Metro Even if I work late I donrsquot have to panic about missing my trainrdquoSukanya Rajpurohit who travels daily from Thane to Vidhan Bhavan agreed ldquoBy taxi or bus Irsquod spend R60 a day and 30 minutes each way Now the Metro takes just 10 minutes and costs Rs 20 for both directions Unless itrsquos past midnight therersquos no reason to take anything elserdquo she said ldquoAnd the AC comfort is unmatchedrdquoBEST notices a dipldquoWersquove seen a 15ndash20 per cent drop on routes overlapping with the new Metro line especially Nariman PointndashCST ChurchgatendashCuffe Parade and WorlindashColabardquo said a conductorldquoOfficegoers have shifted to the Metro for speed and conveniencerdquoTransport experts say the shift was inevitable a city embracing modern highcapacity systems But for taxi drivers the change has hit hardldquoMetro ne humara rozgaar kha liyardquo said Mohammed Yusuf a Churchgate driver ldquoEarlier passengers lined up for taxis after work Now they line up at Metro gatesrdquoRs 80100Nariman Point to CSMT taxi fareRs 10Nariman Point to CSMT Metro fare