A month after resuming services, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has pulled in office-goers on Anna Salai. There is a two-fold increase in the number of passengers travelling on weekdays.
From 12,000 a day, the number has increased to nearly 25,000. Yet, this constitutes just 20% of the pre-COVID-19 traffic when 1.15 lakh passengers used the services every day.
The airport, High Court and Meenambakkam stations receive the maximum number of passengers. Nearly 2,000 passengers use the airport station, and the High Court and Meenambakkam stations handle nearly 1,800 and 1,600 passengers respectively.
Earlier, the stretch from Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount would have more passengers than the Washermanpet-airport section. But the Washermanpet-airport stretch carries a majority of passengers now, sources said.
According to CMRL officials, since most of the government employees have returned to offices, they travel through the stations on Anna Salai. Hence, the stretch from Washermanpet to the airport through Anna Salai now carries more traffic.
“Take for instance, AG-DMS, LIC, Government Estate or Madras High Court, there is a gradual increase in the number of people using these stations. As air traffic has improved, we are seeing a mild increase in the number of users at the airport station. But since the airport’s parking fee is very high, many coming from suburbs like Tambaram or Pallavaram head to the Meenambakkam station, leave the two-wheelers there and travel,” an official said.
With no IT travellers, the stretch between Chennai Central and St. Thomas Mount suffers from poor patronage, officials said.
Data show that a maximum of nearly 6,300 passengers travel between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and another 6,300 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. These two hours in the morning and in the evening account for nearly 25% each of the total ridership.
“Since we don’t have many taking early morning or late night trains or buses, there are only 200-220 commuters from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., only 100-150 passengers travel. Only by mid or late next year, we may see the pre-COVID-19 levels of traffic,” a source said.
