After the opening of three new reaches in the last two years, the number of people using Namma Metro has climbed by more than one lakh.
In the days prior to the outbreak, 4.8 lakh travellers used Metro services. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) opened around 14 km of lines in 2021, including 7.5 km of Purple Line expansion from Mysuru Road to Kengeri and 6 km of Green Line extension from Yelachenahalli. In March 2023, 13.7km of extended Metro line from KR Puram to Kadugodi (Whitefield) was opened to the public.
Commercial operations on the new stretches have increased daily Metro train passenger flow to nearly 6.1 lahks, a 25% increase in just two years. BMRCL, the organisation in charge of running Namma Metro, also generates close to Rs 1.9 crore every day from its train operations.
According to BMRCL MD Anjum Parwez, a metro passenger currently travels an average of 10 kilometres each day and pays between Rs 27 and Rs 30.
“Opening of new Metro lines helps in getting more patronage. However, our projected ridership is more than what we are getting right now. It should have been 7.5 to 8 lakh per day. Once we open the entire network from Kengeri to Whitefield, we will get an additional 70,000 to 80,000 passengers. At present, the KR Puram to Whitefield Metro line is operating in isolation and, on average, 30,000 passengers are using the service,” Parwez further stated.
