The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi Metro riding on a new high

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Delhi Metro riding on a new high

Staff Reporter

Ridership up 31%, revenue up 29%; more coaches coming up

To cater to the increased passenger load DMRC has placed orders for 500 more coaches
Introduction of feeder buses has made access to metro stations easier for the people

NEW DELHI: Through improvement in its own services and aided by the poor performance of Blueline buses, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has registered a 31 per cent increase in its ridership in the past one year.

This has also got the cash registers ringing in the Corporation as the revenue has also gone up sharply by 29 per cent between January 2007 and January 2008.

But not one to rest on its laurels, the Corporation is working hard to cater to the increased passenger load and has placed orders for 500 more coaches that will be put on the track by 2009.

Attributing the increase in ridership and revenue to the strike observed by Blueline buses in October 2007 and the introduction of feeder buses since to improve connectivity between bus stops and metro railway stations, DMRC Chief Public Relations Officer Anuj Dayal said: “A large number of people switched to the Metro when buses were off the roads. Some of them have now begun using the service more regularly.”

“Following the feedback from commuters that the RTVs were providing poor service, we introduced the feeder buses, which again have made it possible for people to have easier access to metro stations. The ridership has also seen a surge since the prices for the smart card were lowered,” he added.

Smart cards allow passengers a discount of 10 per cent on every journey and the DMRC has also halved the deposit money for these cards from Rs.100 to Rs.50.

Referring to the additional new 500 coaches that are being procured, Mr. Dayal said: “The additional coaches will help increase the frequency of the trains and also allow us more time for maintenance. As of now while we maintain maximum frequency, we have minimum time for maintenance. Our maintenance gangs are overworked and the coaches are being used without a break.”

The rise in ridership has prompted the DMRC to decrease the frequency of trains on some lines. On the Delhi University-Central Secretariat line, passengers travelling from the point of origin to the final stop have to sometimes change coaches at Kashmere Gate.

“Since the line registers a heavy rush of passengers, we have had to break the journey between Delhi University and Central Secretariat. Alternate trains now go from Central Secretariat to Delhi University while the others terminate at Kashmere Gate,” said Mr. Dayal.

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