CHENNAI: In a sign of people increasingly taking to the metro, it has been revealed that around 2.67 lakh footfalls were recorded in the 10 km stretch connecting Koyambedu and Alandur in the month of April. In March, it was 2.41 lakh, according to statistics provided by the Chennai Metro.
This could also mean, on an average, a total of around 800 to 900 people travel in Chennai Metro each day. This is way too less when Metro was launched initially. During the first two days alone, it catered to more than 85,000 commuters.
Alandur stands first with 70,003 people availing the metro’s services from there followed by Vadapalani with 48,800 commuters.
Interestingly, apart from Vadapalani, CMBT also attracted a large number of commuters, in the month of April, who preferred the Metro to catch outstation buses. During the month of March, CMBT attracted 39,547 commuters while in the month of April, it attracted 41,063 commuters.
Arumbakkam station, which catered to 14,000 commuters in the month of March and April, has the lowest Metro ridership. Even Ashok Nagar Metro station, despite its presence near the residential area, and Ekatuthangal, with its presence near the Guindy Industrial estate, haves been attracting less commuters. While Ashok Nagar catered to 24, 527 passengers in the month of March, Ekkatuthangal catered to 26,157 commuters.
Interestingly, it was the floods in Chennai on December last, which highlighted the relaibility of the Metro when rail, air and buses failed.