With the Aqua Line between Aarey and Cuffe Parade now operational, Mumbai&rsquo;s traditional transport options, kaali-peeli taxis and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-metro-line-3-clocks-1-56-lakh-passengers-on-day-1-but-fails-to-make-a-dent-in-best-s-ridership-23598157" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">BEST buses</a>, are already feeling the squeeze.
Within just two days of the Metro&rsquo;s launch, the city&rsquo;s commuting patterns have begun to shift, leaving taxi stands half-empty and bus routes noticeably lighter.
At Nariman Point, a line of taxi drivers stood idle on Friday evening, watching empty back seats instead of waving down passengers.
<img title="Fewer commuters seen boarding BEST buses at Nariman Point" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/oct/Fast-Metro-slows-a_e.jpg" alt="Fewer commuters seen boarding BEST buses at Nariman Point" width="1280" height="720" />Fewer commuters seen boarding BEST buses at Nariman Point
&ldquo;Earlier, during peak office hours, I barely got time to breathe. I&rsquo;d do 10&ndash;12 long trips between Nariman Point and CSMT from 5 pm to 9 pm,&rdquo; said Maya Prasad Singh, a taxi driver of 30 years. &ldquo;Now, I hardly get three or four passengers. Everyone&rsquo;s taking the Metro, it&rsquo;s faster and cheaper.&rdquo;
Another driver, Krupashankar Shinde, said, &ldquo;We managed to survive the app taxis in 2016. But now, with bike taxis and the Metro, we don&rsquo;t know if we&rsquo;ll make it. Earlier, a few shared rides between <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/metro-aqua-line-3-brings-rail-back-to-southern-tip-of-mumbai-connects-seamlessly-with-suburban-stations-23597673" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CSMT </a>and Nariman Point for R30 per person made our day. Now, people have just turned their backs on us.&rdquo;
<img title="Taxi driver Maya Prasad Singh waits for passengers at Nariman Point; (right) Taxi driver Krupashankar Shinde at Churchgate" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/oct/Fast-Metro-slows-c_e.jpg" alt="Taxi driver Maya Prasad Singh waits for passengers at Nariman Point; (right) Taxi driver Krupashankar Shinde at Churchgate" width="1280" height="720" />Taxi driver Maya Prasad Singh waits for passengers at Nariman Point; (right) Taxi driver Krupashankar Shinde at Churchgate
<h2>And the reason is clear</h2>
A Metro ride from Nariman Point to CSMT costs R10 and takes under 10 minutes. The same trip by taxi costs R80&ndash;100 and takes twice the time in traffic.
<h2>Commuters are happier</h2>
&ldquo;Reaching Churchgate or CSMT from Nariman Point used to take 30 minutes in the evening,&rdquo; said Saurabh Patil, a marketing professional. &ldquo;Now it&rsquo;s barely 10&ndash;12 minutes by <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/commuters-face-long-waits-poor-lighting-at-mumbai-metro-s-aarey-jvlr-terminal-23598197" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Metro</a>. Even if I work late, I don&rsquo;t have to panic about missing my train.&rdquo;
Sukanya Rajpurohit, who travels daily from Thane to Vidhan Bhavan, agreed. &ldquo;By taxi or bus, I&rsquo;d spend R60 a day and 30 minutes each way. Now, the Metro takes just 10 minutes and costs Rs 20 for both directions. Unless it&rsquo;s past midnight, there&rsquo;s no reason to take anything else,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And the AC comfort is unmatched.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>BEST notices a dip</h2>
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve seen a 15&ndash;20 per cent drop on routes overlapping with the new Metro line, especially Nariman Point&ndash;CST, Churchgate&ndash;Cuffe Parade, and <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sunday-mid-day/article/worli-koliwada-embark-on-a-self-guided-tour-to-explore-the-neighborhood-23426181" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Worli</a>&ndash;Colaba,&rdquo; said a conductor.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Office-goers have shifted to the Metro for speed and convenience.&rdquo;Transport experts say the shift was inevitable, a city embracing modern, high-capacity systems. But for taxi drivers, the change has hit hard.
&ldquo;Metro ne humara rozgaar kha liya,&rdquo; said Mohammed Yusuf, a Churchgate driver. &ldquo;Earlier, passengers lined up for taxis after work. Now, they line up at Metro gates.&rdquo;
Rs 80-100 Nariman Point to CSMT taxi fare
Rs 10 Nariman Point to CSMT Metro fare

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Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / As aqua line takes off, Mumbai’s taxis and buses are left behind