KOCHI: The kick-off of football matches in the city set the cash registers of Kochi Metro ringing. According to sources, the ridership of Kochi Metro saw a steep increase of 30 to 40 percent after its service got extended last week to Maharaja’s College Ground.
The ridership of Kochi Metro on the five days after the service extension is 23,610, 24,500, 28,500, 29,500 and 31,000. “For regular commuters like me who come from Companyppady to Ernakulam South, Kochi Metro is a blessing. One of the major advantages is that we will be able to skip the traffic congestions at Premiere Jn, Toll Jn, Edappally, Palarivattom and St Antony’s Church. Secondly, the comfort and uninterrupted service at a regular interval of 8 minutes make it a heavenly experience,” said Ebsen Babu, a bank employee.
Moreover, some of the regular passengers from Palarivattom to MG Road have also shifted from buses to the Kochi Metro. The private bus owners said they are facing a nearly 30 percent dip in their collections. “The minimum charge on buses is Rs 7 while in Metro it is Rs 10. So naturally, the short distance passengers who want to save time will prefer Metro,” said an office bearer of the Private Bus Operators Association.
There are nearly 150 private buses plying along the Aluva -Ernakulam route. The fare to Kochi from Aluva on the Metro train is Rs 50. Once the Smart Cards and monthly passes are rolled out by the KMRL, the passengers will be able to travel in the Metro at a discounted fare. This will further increase Metro’s ridership.
Kochi Metro revenue spikes
On the World Cup match day on Saturday, the metro ridership shot up 75 percent from 31,000 on Friday to 54,650 (the figure is until 8 pm). Considering the Metro services were conducted till 11.45 pm to accommodate the football spectators, the figure is likely to touch more than 100 percent, said KMRL officers.