Kolkata’s Metro Railway has reported a significant revival in passenger numbers. Despite the harsh conditions, the Metro system efficiently managed to transport a substantial number of commuters across the city and its suburbs, demonstrating its vital role in daily urban mobility.
In the three-month period spanning May to July, the North-South line, a crucial artery of the Kolkata Metro, averaged over 5.5 lakh passengers daily. This robust figure highlights the line’s continued importance in the city’s transit network. Additionally, the East-West line and the Green line’s Howrah Maidan-Esplanade segment combined to serve approximately 50,000 passengers daily, facilitating crucial cross-river connectivity over the Hooghly. Metro Railway’s recent passenger statistics reveal that daily ridership on the New Garia-Dakshineswar corridor averaged 5.11 lakh. Notably, the North-South line, or Blue line, saw a rise in daily ridership, reaching 5.66 lakh during the summer, a period characterised by prolonged and intense heat.
The newly inaugurated Green line (East-West corridor), which commenced operations on March 15, has shown promising growth. In July, the East-West section between Howrah and Esplanade recorded an average daily ridership of 47,690, up from 40,000 in June. The Sealdah section of the East-West Metro also experienced a notable increase, with daily ridership soaring to 48,846 in July from an average of 37,777 over the preceding months. Conversely, the Purple Line, connecting Joka to Majerhat, recorded a modest average daily ridership of 615, while the New Garia-Airport corridor, also known as the Orange line, saw slightly higher traffic with an average of 1,141 passengers daily.
The surge in Metro usage, with total fare earnings reaching Rs 80 crore over the three months, underscores the system’s critical role in providing efficient urban transport, particularly during peak summer. The increased patronage reflects both the Metro’s essential service in Kolkata and the rising reliance on public transport as temperatures climb.
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