BENGALURU: In a surprising reversal of the month-on-month increase in ridership and the surge expected in ridership post the launch of the full Purple Line and its extension, Metro patronage has nosedived in March. With the month ending, the average daily ridership is just 6.76 lakh per day, reveal sources. The average for the month is expected to dip much further and even go below 6.5 lakh per day due to the long weekend beginning Good Friday.
Data supplied by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) up to March 26 shows the overall ridership figure in March as 1.76 crore. The average ridership was 7,05,917 in February -- the first time in the history of Namma Metro that daily ridership crossed 7 lakh. This month marks a daily average dip of 29,000 rides.
“Multiple disruptions in Metro train services this month, school exams and work from home for a section of techies on account of the ongoing water crisis, has led to a tumble in ridership,” said a source. A dip was expected in April and May due to the summer vacation and public travelling out of the city, but to end the financial year on such a low note was completely unexpected, he added.
Daily ridership was pegged at 7.5 lakh per day post the launch of the entire Purple Line, but that has not happened in the past six months since the October 9 launch of the crucial link between KR Pura and Baiyappanahalli. The highest single-day ridership was on January 25, with 7,82,435 rides.
Multiple officials confirmed the ridership dip has taken them aback. Logically speaking, soaring temperatures in March should have boosted patronage.
In January, daily ridership stood at 6,78,543 while in December 2023, ridership was 6,88,196 per day. The daily ridership figure in November was 6.64 lakh, and in October it was 6,40,441; the full line was launched on October 9.
Another official said, “Revenue will be hit heavily this month too. The average ticket per rider comes to Rs 23 to 24 (long and short rides taken together). So daily revenue loss is roughly Rs 70,000 this month, compared to the previous month.”