Chennai: No last-mile connectivity for metro users

CHENNAI: The opening of workplaces and resumption of domestic flight services have boosted patronage of metro rail and suburban trains since services resumed after shutdown rules were relaxed. However, last-mile connectivity remains unresolved..
Metro services resumed in September while suburban train services, which began as workmen specials for railway staff, were gradually opened to more categories of people in the past few months.
According to metro rail, from 14,798 average daily patronage in September, the numbers have increased to around 54,000 in January though the footfall is still only 45% of the pre-Covid daily average of 1.16 lakh.
An official said the opening of
educational institutions has not increased the footfalls. “School and college students formed a very small number of our regular commuters. Most of them are office-goers and passengers heading to or from airport or railway stations,” the official said.
To improve patronage, metro rail introduced facilities like smartcard readers and QR-code tickets to enable contactless travel for passengers to feel safe. Despite the new facilities, the patronage is yet to reach pre-Covid levels. One of the reasons is the absence of a uniform first and last-mile connectivity. Metro rail discontinued the previously operated share-auto and share cab services due to poor patronage. They also floated tenders twice to set up a cab service across all stations for last-mile connectivity, but there have been no takers.
The patronage of suburban trains has increased during peak hours as women and children including college and school students are allowed to use the trains.
Only 2.35 lakh commuters are using suburban trains per day and 15,000 people use MRTS though the number of services have touched the pre-Covid-19 level. The patronage is yet to reach 11 lakh a day because of restrictions in allowing people during peak hours.
Railways operates 660 suburban services and 80 MRTS services a day. On Sundays, 410 trains are being operated.