Kochi Metro earns Rs 12 lakh daily

KOCHI: Amid reports over the increasing mismatch over the income and expenditure of Kochi Metro, the mass transit service is making an average daily collection of '12 lakhs. In a response to an RTI query, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited authorities stated that the total ticket revenue during January and February was '7.14 crore. During the months of January and February the KMRL spent '4.55 crore for salary payment while the total amount spent for other expenses is '17.15 crore.

 Other expenses include energy cost, Kudumbasree service cost, insurance, administration, interest and other charges.

Aluva, Edapally and Maharajas are the three major stations which contribute more than 60 per cent of the ticket revenue, according to the details furnished in response to the RTI application submitted by Ebenezer Chullikkat of Greater Cochin Develo-pment Watch (GCDW).

The other stations earn an average daily collection of around '50,000. “According to the RTI reply, six stations collect less than '30, 000 per day. These stations are Pulinchodu ('26,907), Changanpuzha Park ('26, 433), Pathadipalam ('20,276), Companypady ('17,972), Muttam ('10,631) and Ambattu-kavu ('7,251), which is the least revenue making station,” said Ebenezer Chullikkat.

“The high level of fluctuation in daily revenue collection also is a major issue. With no sustainable passenger revenue, the revenue pattern can’t be projected.

On July 2, 2017 the total revenue collection was '33.34 lakhs while the passenger revenue was only '3.75 lakhs on August 17, 2017,” added Ebenezer.

“Unless the KMRL initiates cost cutting measures at least in three stations where revenue is the least, the Metro will run into deep financial crisis,” he observed.