CHENNAI: Due to increased frequency of trains and better last-mile connectivity, patronage of Metro rail is on the rise, statistics show.
In August alone, nearly 30 lakh passengers travelled by Metro. A release said more than one lakh passengers used the services on 19 days in August. It also said that from the beginning of this year till August, nearly two crore passengers travelled by Metro rail in Chennai. August 30 saw the highest footfall of 1.3 lakh passengers.
Officials said various modes of transport for last mile connectivity is one of the major reasons for the increase in passenger number. Recently, frequency of trains was also increased during office hours.
From Washermanpet to Airport, via LIC, there is a train every five minutes against the earlier seven minutes. From Chennai Central to St Thomas Mount and inter-corridor from Chennai Central to Airport, trains are available every 10 minutes, while it was 14 minutes earlier.
Cabs provided by Metro rail currently operate from six stations namely Chennai Central, Government Estate, LIC, Thousand Lights, AG-DMS and Nandanam. Passengers can get dropped within six to eight km from any of these stations. “If I get down at Teynampet Metro station, I can get these services to reach home at Mandaveli for just `10. This is very useful,” Anand Raj, a frequent commuter, said.