u/blackbird373

Planning to travel by road to Gurgaon using the Mumbai - Delhi Expressway. Has anyone done this recently by private car? Is the road excellent all the way from Vadodara to Gurgaon or is that a false claim? Is it better to travel via Indore instead of Vadodara?

Any tips on route, any diversions at places where road is still under construction and things are unclear? What are the best places for halts and is a night halt necessary and if so any suggestions? Any safety tips?

Thanks in advance!

Mumbai's suburban local trains are super crowded, but the Blue Line of the Mumbai Metro (Line 1) from Versova to Ghatkopar literally leaves you feeling blue. The Versova-Ghatkopar Blue Line metro has the eighth-highest passenger density of any metro line in the world. 

The Red and Yellow Lines (Line 2A and 7) are also crowded during peak hours. However, the Aqua Line (Line 3) traverses the length of the island city, is very swanky and is on a route where ideally passenger density should be high, but yet the Aqua Line can be empty during non-peak hours and is fairly comfortable even during peak hours. Why does one Mumbai Metro line have the eight-highest passenger density of any metro line in the world while the Aqua Line, which is supposedly a far more important line, remain fairly empty at many times?

Here's why, IMO.

Utilisation of each metro line anywhere in the world depends on alternative modes of transport, last mile connectivity and cost of travel.

On all these parameters the Aqua line (Line 3) seems to fall short. I’m not saying it is too expensive (not an expert on cost), but the fact is that the Aqua Line route is fairly parallel to Mumbai’s suburban railway network (North-South). Second, it runs parallel to the least choked part of the suburban network (between the Central and Western lines).

Ticket prices are higher when compared to even first class on the suburban railway, especially over longer distances. And the reason the aam aadmi doesn't use the line is perhaps because a ticket from BKC to Churchgate will cost Rs 60 while a Western Railway train ticket from Bandra to Churchgate costs Rs 10. Even if you chose to travel first class on the Western Railway it only costs Rs 40. Agreed the metro has AC, but imagine you wanted to travel from Borivali to Churchgate via metro. You need to take 3 separate metros, each with its own individual ticketing system and security. Borivali to Churchgate on the suburban railway (Western Railway) is a single train with ample trains (crowded yes, but lots of trains) and cost in second class is Rs 15 while if you use the three metro lines total cost is Rs 130 (Rs 40 from Borivali West to Gundavali / Rs 20 from WEH to Marol Naka and Rs 70 from Marol Naka to Churchgate). Even a first class ticket in the suburban railway will cost just Rs 85 from Borivali to Churchgate. And railways also have season passes and a first class monthly pass costs Rs 750 for the same route with unlimited travel. Does the economics of metro travel in Mumbai make sense?

It's not that metro travel is convenient too--you have to change stations twice on the Borivali to Churchgate route, get new tickets thrice and go through security thrice. It’s also slower and may take far longer because on the Western Railway there are suburban fast trains while metros stop at every station. So suburban railway (Western Railway) is quicker and more convenient. Who will choose 3 metro lines just because it’s airconditioned? Besides the fact that there are some suburban AC trains too today. And you can substitute Borivali with Goregaon or Jogeshwari and the issues are the same.

Second, railway stations are well connected by public transit for the last mile, which is not the case with Aqua Line, or frankly any metro line in Mumbai. BEST bus routes end at railway stations, there are lots of autos, etc. If metro travel is 6X to 8X the cost of suburban railway and there’s no proper public transit at stations, it makes things even more expensive, and awfully inconvenient.

Also, globally metros are usually networks, where you may not have direct connectivity but there are easy interchanges, but thanks to the strange planning in Mumbai each metro is literally a standalone line with very poor interchange infrastructure. Just go through Marol Naka, which is a joke compared to interchanges in India itself--Hauz Khas on the Delhi Metro for instance.

Lack of basic mobile connectivity on the Aqua Line is just icing on the bitter cake.

A line like Blue Line (Line 1) between Versova and Ghatkopar is super crowded because there are no decent alternatives and it is far, far quicker than road.

But not being close to planned capacity is an issue throughout India. Line 1 may be super dense when it comes to passenger traffic but no other line in Mumbai is close. Other than the Delhi Metro no metro network is close to its planned capacity. Does it reflect poor planning and in small cities horrible wastage in public infrastructure? A BBC analysis seems to suggest so: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g833128vlo

Watch it at:

https://youtu.be/yQOjJLdzJqY?si=tO5uAF7LgXNMwPlR

What do you think?

Had a 5-hour layover week before last and hence visited the 080 Lounge at T2 BLR. Got access to the VIP section of the lounge using my EPM, but was disappointed. While the 080 Lounge at T2 is very good (IMO the best lounge in India), the VIP section is just one separate restaurant-like section with a depressingly sad selection of food (I got there around 11 AM). You do get a complimentary drink (can be alcoholic too) but for food they suggest you go to the main buffet which means you need to walk far more than other Lounge users carrying your plate, and for what? Just to sit in a separate section that seems like a restaurant that’s not open for service yet.

Last week I was flying out of T1 and my flight got delayed and so decided to visit the 080 Lounge at T1.

Have visited this lounge twice earlier and have had inconsistent experiences. There can be long queues for entry and some of the staff can be inexplicably rude. Had one terrible experience some months ago after another delayed flight, where I stood in queue for around 15 mins only to be told I had to go to the VIP section queue because my EPM card was eligible for it, and when I went there I was rudely asked what I wanted and was told to go back to the regular queue. When I got rightfully upset at this needlessly crude behavior, they tried to swipe my card there but no machine was working (not my card’s fault). The manager on duty seemed disinterested too. I simply walked out, though in hindsight I should have given him an earful.

So last week went again and was told I could use the VIP section. An executive personally escorts you to the access controlled section. And man, it’s amazing compared to the joke of a VIP section at the 080 Lounge in T2 BLR.

The place is super swanky and has personalised service (first thing they ask if you want still or sparkling water), and you get an à la carte menu with a decent variety of choices. However, that’s where the good part ended. The actual service was horribly slow. It took them 50 minutes to serve me a burger. The burger didn’t look very appetising too (though it tasted fine). The staff were incredibly polite and polished but the wait was real. And this was at a time when the VIP section was almost empty (afternoon). The place looks great and could be one of the best lounges anywhere if they improve the service experience. I have used premium lounges in SFO, EWR, LHR, etc. so have a bit of travel experience.

I believe this VIP section at 080 can be accessed using IndusInd Tiger too. Can anyone confirm that? HDFC cards seem a no-no.

Posting from an appeal received (Mumbai).

This is Babi from Madh Island in Mumbai, who came to her rescuers with her eight puppies, all suffering from tick fever and low hemoglobin. They are currently admitted at the Kibo Project. While her puppies are recovering, Babi’s condition has now turned critical.

Her hemoglobin is dangerously low, she isn’t eating, and her creatinine levels are rising. She urgently needs a blood transfusion to survive.

The rescuers are urgently looking for a donor dog (1–9 years old, 25+ kg, vaccinated, and with no history of tick fever in the past year). The procedure will be done at Happy Tails, Bandra, Mumbai.

If your dog can help, please contact 9820774620 immediately. Even sharing this could help save her life ❤️

For more: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXds2WdjE6R/?igsh=NHczZW9sendiczUy