Mumbai : The Metro does not merely take you from Versova to Andheri, it transports you to a different world.
The filth, congestion and honking on the roads vanish when you take the escalator to the second floor of a Metro station. There is an amazing amount of space on the platform and the concourse. And it is such a big difference from the grimy and smell railway stations. In fact, it is a mall-like atmosphere.
There is no gap between the platform and the footboard and the train simply glides on the rails. One gets a 360-degree view of the city through the wide windows of the Metro trains. Sitting in air-conditioned comfort, commuters get a panoramic view of natural features such as the Powai hills and other hillocks at Andheri, notably Gilbert Hill. Many structures that were hidden behind high walls are suddenly visible.
Commuters get a splendid view of temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras along the way; the best of them being the Holy Family church.
In the eight years that it took to build the Metro line, swanky offices have come up along the way at places such as Chakala and Marol, which were full of rundown buildings till a decade ago. In fact, for a brief moment, you feel you are not in India.
Another feature of the ride is the view of trees from the top. One can only admire the various canopies, spread like giant green umbrellas. But the most thrilling part of the trip is crossing over the Western Express highway. This is where Metro commuters can literally and metaphorically look down on lesser means of transport.
WHAT THE RIDE ENTAILS
Anil Singh
