The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has announced that with effect from Monday, August 8, metro trains will operate at a frequency of 15-minute intervals rather than 20 minutes during non-rush hours. Currently, metro trains run every 20 minutes between 5 am and 6 pm, and between 10 pm and 11 pm. However, the frequency will be increased during these times. The first and last trains of the day operate between 5 am-6 am and 10 pm-11 pm.
While ridership seems to have increased since the Bengaluru metro first began operations, a recent report on ‘Implementation of Metro Rail Projects’ by the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, submitted on July 19, showed that none of the four metro rails in south India have managed to break even their costs. All four — Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi — have recorded low ridership. This means the rail networks have not been breaking even in their years of operation, and will not be able to break even even after 6-7 years of continuous operations.
According to the committee’s report, the losses faced by the metro rail corporations are driven by low ridership, along with lack of quality amenities, faulty detailed project reports etc. The report also highlighted the poor planning when it came to providing last-mile connectivity and parking facilities at the metro stations. Further, the report asks the respective metro operators to take action towards increasing ridership, and to submit progress reports regarding the same.
“The Committee is of the view that if metro rail projects are to be made as mass transportation medium in a true sense, operated on a sustainable basis, and the commuters are to be weaned away from using private vehicles, a compelling proposition should be made available to them in terms of comfort, convenience, quality, affordability, and reliability, etc.” The committee has directed respective metro rails to take concrete steps to improve ridership and to inform the committee of the same.
Read more about the committee’s report here: Metro rails in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyd & Kochi struggle with low revenues