Economics
How to Make 8 Million Miserable Commuters Much Happier
A $12.5 billion project is under way to build a new, rapid transit system in Mumbai that will be busier than metros in New York and London.
Passengers wait to board a train as others ride on the roof at Tilak Nagar railway station in Mumbai.
Photographer: Dhiraj SinghThis article is for subscribers only.
New Yorkers grumbling about their subway commute should spare a thought for Mumbai’s 8 million daily rail travelers.
The expanding mega city’s suburban railway is one of the busiest for commuters in the world. It’s also one of the most crowded and, with more than 3,000 deaths last year, among the most dangerous. That’s why there’s an 800 billion rupee ($12.5 billion) project under way to build a new, rapid transit system that will carry an estimated 7 million more passengers — making it busier than metros in New York and London.