Metro trying to increase ridership in lean hours

In a bid to increase its ridership, the Delhi Metro is now trying to attract more people to travel in the lean hours, its chief said Monday.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) managing director Mangu Singh said they are looking for target groups to whom travelling in lean hours can be promoted.

"We are evaluating how we can increase the ridership in non-peak hours," Mangu Singh told reporters here.

The Delhi Metro presently has an average ridership of 20.1 million people per day. However, according to officials 60-65 percent of this is in peak hours - 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Of this, nearly 40 percent ridership is between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

"The average capacity of a coach is 300 people. However, on an average ,only 78 people travel in every coach each day. This is because the lean hours have very low foot fall," the DMRC chief said.

"We can get in touch with groups like those going to some gurudwara, temple or mosque, or school, senior citizens etc. to increase ridership in lean hour," he said.

Giving examples from other countries, the DMRC chief also said that staggered office timings can also help changing this scene.

"Offices can consider staggered timing so that the rush hour can be spread. Those offices which are finding their employees getting late due to metro rush can do so," he said.

Mangu Singh added that DMRC was also contemplating introducing a system where those who use metro parking but do not travel in the metro will be fined.

"A lot of people park their cars in DMRC parking but do not board the metro. We are contemplating to introduce a system where metro parking would be on the basis of a smart card. Those who do not board the metro in a fixed time will be fined," he said.