KT Rama Rao says Hyderabad Metro better than Chennai, Bengaluru
Chennai Metro Rail Limited had about 59,000 commuters on average on its 35-km network every day.
Hyderabad: Minister K.T. Rama Rao said the Metro Rail systems in Chennai and Bengaluru were not successful but Hyderabad Metro was carrying an average of 80,000 passengers every day on the 29-km Miyapur-Nagole stretch.
“Every day more than 80,000 passengers are already travelling on the Metro in Hyderabad. If this is compared to Chennai or Bengaluru or other cities, we could truly say that the Metro is not that successful there. I went and saw in Chennai and Bengaluru, there are not more than 20,000 to 25,000 passengers,” Mr Rama Rao said on Wednesday.
However, according to statistics from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the average ridership per day as of June 16 was 3,36,849 on its 42.3 km network.
Chennai Metro Rail Limited had about 59,000 commuters on average on its 35-km network every day. The ridership had increased from 42,000 after the opening of the Chennai Central Metro Rail station.
“In our city, 80,000 to 85,000 people are travelling (on the Metro), and on some days it is going up to 90,000 and 1 lakh. An average of 80,000 people in Hyderabad are travelling on the existing 29 kilometres.” Mr Rama Rao said.
On the pricing of the Metro Rail ticket, Mr Rama Rao said, “It is not correct to say that charges are high.” He said that the Centre had funded the construction of the 250-km Delhi Metro but the Hyderabad Metro Rail was built in the public private partnership mode. “Fifty per cent of the money has to return in the form of tickets. We cannot compare it with Delhi or any other Metro,” he said.