Chennai Metro’s daily ridership crosses pre-Covid numbers

CHENNAI: With footfall in metro stations touching an average 1.3 lakh a day in December 2021, ridership of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has crossed the pre-Covid daily patronage of 1.16 lakh. Officials attributed the rise in passengers to higher train frequency, fare cut, opening of north Chennai line, and efficient operations during the monsoon.
In 2021, 2.5 crore passengers travelled in metro trains; that’s about 91 per cent of the total passengers that the metro ferried in its first three years. The number, however, is still far less than the initial estimate of 7.8 lakh a day.
“Over 1.8 lakh used our services on December 30 when there were heavy monsoon rains and the city roads were choked. We extended our services by an hour that day and we saw over 1,100 people travelling in our trains after 11pm,” an official said. A total of 9.8 crore passengers travelled in metro trains between June 29, 2015, when the metro services started, and December 31, 2021.
In a release, CMRL said 2.8 crore passengers travelled between June 29, 2015 and December 31, 2018. The number grew to 3.2 crores in 2019, after phase-1 was completed. The ridership, however, tanked during the suspension of train services between June and September 2020. Officer-goers, who make up the majority of the metro’s commuters, starting to work from home had also affected passenger count.
To boost patronage, CMRL converted its executive class into women-only coaches and increased peak-hour timings. “We are also planning other first and last mile connectivity options, apart from the recently launched minibus feeder services. We hope this will encourage more to use our services,” the official added.