Namma Metro moves on, but has a long way to go

A month after Reach-1 was launched, revenue figures dip

However, the initial euphoria has died down and there is a gradual decrease in the number of commuters. The service was launched on October 20.

Till Sunday, the Namma Metro had made a total of 5,040 trips on Reach One carrying roughly nine lakh passengers on the seven-km stretch between Baiyappanahalli and MG Road.

The first train chugged at 4 pm on October 20, and the first day witnessed around 60,000 passengers. However, the joy ride season faded gradually and one month after the start of operations, the commuter figure stands at an average of 25,000 per day.

The drop in revenue earned from tickets and smart cards was also inevitable as the season of joy rides gave way to the not-so-exciting weekday commuting. The BMRCL earned Rs 13 lakh on an average for the first few days after the inauguration.

But currently, it reaches a daily figure of Rs 3.5 lakh with much difficulty. If this situation continues in the coming months, Metro will run on a loss of Rs 2.5 lakh everyday.

While the passenger figures and revenue earned is just one side of the story, it is important to note that nothing in terms of improving quality of Reach One has been done since its launch.

Pathetic vehicle parking facilities at Baiyappanahalli station continue as no tender for providing better services has been floated yet. Regular passengers are welcomed to the Metro stations by a non-functional escalator, ATM or lift. Technical difficulties have also haunted the Metro trains.

Manish Yadav, a resident of Indira Nagar and a regular commuter in Metro, says: “Most of the time, escalators are dysfunctional. The ATM machines rarely function. It was as if BMRCL started the services without conducting a technical check of all the equipment,” he said.

A majority of passengers are not even aware of the existence of vending machines which provide coins for notes. 

On cleanliness, B S Chavan, spokesperson of BMRCL, said: “We have provided dustbins on every platform. People rarely throw waste and cases of littering are almost nil. This will help people understand the importance of hygiene outside the Metro stations also.”

A month after inauguration, the Metro still remains a fortress when it comes to disseminating information to the media. When Deccan Herald contacted U A Vasanth Rao, Manager (Finance), on Sunday, he said: “I will not give any information. Please contact the PRO.”