The Kochi Metro Rail has revised its train frequency to 8.15 minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes during non-peak hours. This is due to the rise in average ridership. The train frequency, while the metro services were resumed in July, was 15 minutes during non-peak hours and 10 minutes during peak hours. The Kochi Metro Rail resumed services on July 1 after not being operational for 53 days due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown. Ridership was picking up slowly owing to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the state. Kochi Metro Rail Limited while resuming its services, had announced that the frequency of the trains will be changed as per the number of passengers.
The KMRL, to increase the ridership, has reduced the parking fee for metro users in stations and is going ahead with a plan to rent out the commercial spaces in the metro stations, reported the Times of India. The KMRL has also been conducting events to attract passengers, including a ‘mehndi/tattoo’ festival which was conducted last weekend.
The metro service is being offered, adhering to COVID-19 protocol. All the metro stations have been sanitised and cleaned and thermal cameras have been installed at major stations in order to check the body temperature of the passengers in addition to the thermal scanners installed in all the stations.
It had been decided while resuming the service that the temperature inside the trains will be maintained at 26 degree Celsius. In 2020, the Kochi Metro had resumed services from September 5 as per the Unlock 4 guidelines issued by the Union government. The service was resumed after being closed down for nearly six months due to the COVID-19. The metro services suffered a huge loss due to the pandemic.