The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is constructing India's first travelator-equipped public skywalk in the Mahalaxmi area [1].
The project aims to streamline the transition between three major transport modes—the suburban railway, Metro Line 3, and the monorail—to improve daily commuter convenience [1].
According to project data, the installation of moving walkways is expected to reduce interchange time for passengers by up to 20 minutes [3]. This infrastructure addresses the challenge of navigating large distances between different transit platforms in a densely populated urban hub [1].
Officials said that 90% of the work is currently complete [3]. The skywalk is designed to function as a multimodal bridge, allowing passengers to move seamlessly between the rail networks without descending to street level [2].
The project was scheduled to open in September 2023 [1, 3]. By integrating these three distinct systems, the MMRDA seeks to alleviate congestion at the Mahalaxmi transit point, a critical node for thousands of workers and residents.
This is the inaugural project of its kind in the country [2]. The use of travelators in a public skywalk represents a shift toward high-capacity, automated pedestrian movement to support the city's expanding metro and rail infrastructure [1].
“India's first travelator-equipped public skywalk”
The introduction of travelators into Mumbai's public transit architecture signals a move toward 'last-mile' efficiency. By reducing the physical strain and time required to switch between the suburban rail, monorail, and metro, the city is attempting to make multimodal transit more competitive against private vehicle use, potentially increasing the overall ridership of the Metro Line 3 network.
