Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal residents were initially excited about Metro train, but passenger numbers dropped sharply, especially during morning hours. Observing low footfall, Metro train management has cancelled four morning trips.
Instead of 17 daily trips, only 13 will now operate. The revised timetable, effective from January 5, includes seven trips from AIIMS Station and six from Subhash Nagar Station. The first train from AIIMS will now depart at 12 noon and reach Subhash Nagar by 12.25 pm, while the first train from Subhash Nagar leaves at 12.40 pm and reaches AIIMS by 1.05 pm.
Evening commuters can catch the last train from AIIMS at 7.30 pm, which will arrive at Subhash Nagar by 7.57 pm, while the last train from Subhash Nagar departs at 6.55 pm, reaching AIIMS at 7.20 pm. Trains will continue to run at a headway of 75 minutes.
Sources in Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation said per-hour traffic was carefully analysed, showing that morning trips were attracting too few passengers to justify full operation.
Low morning traffic triggers changes
Managing Director S Krishna Chaitanya told Free Press that a 14-day study found only 25 30 passengers per hour during morning trips. Ridership was slightly better at noon and higher during evening hours, prompting an additional evening trip.
The morning metro train trips were earlier scheduled between 9.30 am till noon 12. During this period, four metro trains used to run. The new schedule has done away with operation of four morning metro trains.
Ridership trend
Dec 25: 4,264
Dec 26: 1,473
Dec 27: 1,870
Dec 28: 2,349
Dec 30: 959
Dec 31: 1,113
