In a move to ease travel during the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has announced that Metro services on Line 2A (Yellow Line) and Line 7 (Red Line) will operate till midnight between August 27 (Wednesday) and September 6 (Saturday).
Timings extended for devotees
During the 10-day festival, the last trains from Andheri West (Line 2A) and Gundavali (Line 7) will depart at 12 am instead of the usual 11:00 pm. The decision was made to address rising commuter demand as lakhs of devotees step out to visit Ganpati pandals across the city.
Routes to key suburban hubs
- Line 2A (Yellow Line): Dahisar East ↔ Andheri West
- Line 7 (Red Line): Dahisar East ↔ Gundavali, Andheri East
Both routes cater to heavy suburban passenger traffic, making them critical to handling the festive rush.
Frequency of services
Currently, Maha Mumbai Metro Operations Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) runs-
- Weekdays: 317 services (with headway of 5 minutes 50 seconds during peak hours and 9 minutes 30 seconds during non-peak hours)
- Weekends: 256 services (headway of 8:06 minutes during peak hours and 10:25 minutes in non-peak hours)
During Ganeshotsav, trains will run more frequently in peak hours and maintain a 10-minute gap on Sundays.
Officials speak on the extension
MMRDA chief Sanjay Mukherjee assured commuters of safe and reliable travel, “Trains will run more frequently, ensuring convenience for citizens during the festive rush.”
MMMOCL Managing Director Rubal Agarwal added, “The extended services will give Mumbaikars easier access to their favourite pandals without getting stuck in traffic.”
Festive spirit meets easier travel
The extended metro timings are expected to offer much-needed relief to Mumbaikars navigating congested roads during the festival. Authorities believe that combining safe transit with convenient scheduling will ensure smoother celebrations this year.
Maharashtra welcomes Lord Ganesha as the 10-day 'Ganeshotsav' begins
The much-awaited Ganesh Chaturthi festival kicked off across Mumbai, Pune, and other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday with grandeur and devotion. Streets echoed with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” as idols of varying sizes were installed in homes, housing complexes, and public pandals amid vibrant ‘dhol-tasha’ processions. Elaborate decorations lit up the cities, as devotees welcomed their beloved Bappa, seen as the remover of obstacles and bringer of prosperity.
Ganeshotsav declared state festival, culture-focused celebrations planned
For the first time, the Maharashtra government has formally declared Ganeshotsav a state festival. The state’s culture department has lined up cultural programmes, competitions, and awareness drives for the next ten days. Public Mandals have also been urged to promote heritage awareness about Shivaji Maharaj’s 12 UNESCO-recognised forts, Operation Sindoor, and the spirit of swadeshi, blending tradition with state pride.