Hyderabad Metro Rail to Add More Coaches to Handle Summer Rush

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) is likely to increase the number of coaches to provide relief to passengers, who are forced to travel shoulder-to-shoulder during peak hours. The trains currently run with three coaches at all times.

The Metro Rail systems in many major cities run four coaches per train.

“There is a proposal from the operators to increase the number of coaches,” said a source in HMRL. Increasing the number of coaches will also benefit passengers who endured overcrowded conditions during peak hour travel.

The Metro Rail caters to up to five lakh passengers across its three corridors, spanning 57 stations, and completes 1,100 trips daily. The trains run at a frequency of 3.5 minutes during peak hours and between five and seven minutes during off-peak times.

During peak hours, mornings and evenings alike, metro train cabins are densely packed. With summer on the horizon, an uptick in patronage is expected which will further increase crowding in the cabins

Despite the introduction of the Maha Lakshmi scheme of free bus travel for women, there has been no notable decrease in the Metro Rail ridership, sources said. Commuters continue to face challenges, especially during peak hours, due to overcrowded conditions in the air-conditioned cabins.