INDORE (Metro Rail News): The 17 km extended priority corridor of Indore Metro earned Rs. 30 lakhs in revenue while recording a passenger volume of 75,000 in its initial month of commercial commencement. The average travellers of the metro route stood out to be 2,500 per day.

Official start of the additional route from Gandhi Nagar Square to Malviya Nagar Square on September 6 this year gave a quick boost in commuting volume. The number of riders stood out as 6,000 during the initial day of service. 

But, a striking fall came to notice in the passenger utilisation percentage soon. The upcoming weekdays, however, saw a sharp decline in numbers.  

The route administered the volume of 21,500 during the initial week and generated Rs. 8.5 lakh in fare collections. The pushing rise in passengers was noted mostly on Sundays, thus recording an average of 5,000 riders across the five Sundays of its operation. 

Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) authorities acknowledged the reason behind such a hike as the drive to embark upon the novel experience of the metro pathway. 

Primary pulling factors behind decline in passenger arrival at Indore Metro

The high fare rates and incomplete last-mile connectivity assumed the main setbacks for pushing away the commuters from using the services. The registered price per ticket stands between Rs. 20-Rs. 70. 

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Poor vehicle parking facilities are found at most stations except for the Bapat Square. This further complicates multi-modal transfers while affecting the public utilisation percentage. 

The extended corridor line does not traverse through high-demand transit nodes such as Inter-State Bus Terminal at Kumedi, Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport and Khajrana Square, thereby limiting the public adoption of services. 

Steps towards making more people choose Indore Metro’s extended corridor

To embark upon the consistent journey of serving the public more, MPMRCL launched promotional discounts. It involves a 5% concession on return journeys, a 10% discount on group bookings and an 8%-15% wallet-recharge bonus on its official mobile application. 

The decision is expected to significantly contribute towards attracting more customers, however the other cheaper travel options strongly decide the direction of passengers. 

While commenting upon the feedback by service consumers, MPMRCL officials pointed towards adopting the productive measures such as revised discount structures and a monthly pass system to attract everyday travel.

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