As the much-awaited Kochi Metro was thrown open to the public on Monday, people came in droves and around 90,000 passengers boarded the train on the first day.
Huge crowds were gathered and long queues could be seen outside the ticket counters since early morning.
Kochi metro’s ticket revenue touched Rs 28 lakh on the opening day on account of the huge footfall.
The Times of India reports that crowds had gathered at the station hours before the first trip was scheduled to start at 6am.
“By the time the clock ticked 9.50pm, 89,884 passengers had boarded the Metro,” the report says.
The first commissioned phase from Aluva to Palarivattom was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
Mathrubhumi daily reports that people from outside Kochi had been waiting at Palarivattom and Aluva since morning to board the train. There were people from faraway districts of Kerala like Kannur and Kollam as well who were waiting to get on the train.
Some people were keen on boarding the train during the first service itself to become a part of history. A four-member family from Kakkanad in Kochi got the first ticket from the Palarivattom metro station.
From Aluva to Palarivattom, 13-year-old Aswin took the first ride. Aswin had been standing in the queue with his father from 5am.
As the day progressed, more and more people queued up at the metro stations.
After the inauguration on Saturday and the ride by the PM along with the Chief Minister and Governor, disabled children had traveled in the Kochi Metro on Sunday.