The Hindu : New Delhi News : New Metro record on Monday

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 06, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

New Metro record on Monday

Staff Reporter

Collections shoot up to Rs. 40 lakhs as 2.81 lakh passengers use the Metro

NEW DELHI: The craze for Delhi Metro appears to be growing by the day ever since the new Kashmere Gate-Central Secretariat underground section was thrown open to the public on Sunday.

While on Day One the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation netted Rs.29 lakhs as 2.66 lakh people -- comprising mainly the Sunday holiday crowd -- took a ride on the system, with the real users like office-goers, shopkeepers and students using the system on Monday, a new record was set.

The collections shot up to a whopping Rs.40 lakhs as 2.81 lakh passengers used the Metro.

The DMRC spokesperson, Anuj Dayal, said the rush on the newly expanded underground corridor was especially heavy on Monday with 1.60 lakh people using this section. And with another 1.21 lakh using the elevated Line 1 running from Shahdara to Rithala, revenue collections touched a new high.

Though the system has gradually started stabilising with regular users now taking to it -- as is reflected by the high per capita fare collection of around Rs 14 each -- Mr Dayal said it was still early to gauge the level at which the daily ridership would settle. However, the response thus far has been very encouraging and in keeping with the demand, the DMRC has been operating trains at five minutes frequency for most part of the day.

Though this frequency is meant for rush-hour traffic alone, from Sunday itself the Corporation has been compelled to run trains at greater frequency due to the heavy passenger volumes.

Also, while the Corporation has been running 18 trains on the elevated Line I, it has been running 10 train sets on the underground Line II to cater to the rush. With no major problems being faced so far, the focus of DMRC is now gradually shifting to the Dwarka-Barakhamba section, which is due to open next in December this year.

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