The Metro 1, Mumbai’s first metro, is also the city’s busiest metro route, serving around 5 lakh passengers per workday. (Express Photo)To decrease headway between trains in evening peak times to 3 minutes to handle the extreme crowds that flock on the metro Line 1 (Versova to Ghatkopar), Mumbai Metro One is starting mixed-loop operations from August 10.This would mean short loop trains that operate only between Andheri and Ghatkopar would alternate between full loop trains travelling the entire route during evening peak hours.The Andheri-Ghatkopar section has been chosen as it is the busiest section of the line. Such short loop trains would operate between 6:23pm to 8:23pm. Waiting times between trains in this section will be reduced.Officials from Metro One said this would take the headway between trains from 3.2 minutes to 3 minutes. This would increase carrying capacity by 20%, accommodating 28,000 additional commuters.With this, daily services will increase from 476 to 484 trips.This will however increase the time between trains between Versova and Azad Nagar in the evening hours to just over 6 minutes.“The mixed-loop operations are part of Mumbai Metro One’s ongoing efforts to optimise train operations and maximise the capacity of our existing infrastructure. By introducing this operational innovation during peak hours, we aim to reduce waiting times, enhance carrying capacity and provide faster, more convenient and reliable services to our commuters,” said Shyamantak Choudhury, CEO, Mumbai Metro One.The Metro 1, Mumbai’s first metro, is also the city’s busiest metro route, serving around 5 lakh passengers per workday. This is almost half of Mumbai’s entire metro journeys per day. Struggling with outstanding debt, the line has not upgraded from its current four cars to its intended and planned six car rakes. Commuters have long complained about the need for increased carrying capacity, as the line sees stampede-like crowds during peak times.Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Mumbai