Long wait, 1,290 passengers daily: Bhopal Metro limps after 1-month commercial run

Key Highlights

• The cost of running the metro on a daily basis is several times higher than the revenue it is generating. advertisementAccording to official figures, the metro’s daily operational cost is around Rs 8 lakh, while average daily income from ticket sales stands at just Rs 39,152.
• Since operations began on December 21, the metro has been selling an average of only 1,290 tickets per day during the initial phase.
• Reduced trips due to low ridershipPersistent low passenger numbers forced the Metro Corporation to revise its schedule within just 14 days of launch.
• Metro services now begin at 12 noon instead of 9 am, with the last trip ending at 7:30 pm.
• The number of daily trips has also been reduced from 17 to 13. Currently, the priority corridor of Phase One is operational, covering eight metro stations. Why are passengers staying away?Urban development experts attribute the low ridership primarily to limited connectivity and long gaps between two metro services.