New Delhi: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Sunday said it catered to over 67 lakh passenger journeys on weekdays and had exceeded the projection on its usage by 8 per cent.
“The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has exceeded projected ridership by 8%, catering to approximately 67 lakh passenger journeys on weekdays. This kind of demand cannot be met by a bus system. The 392 km network, established in just two decades, has become integral to Delhi’s infrastructure, earning recognition for its social, economic, and environmental contributions” metro said.
This data was shared in response to an article published on Metro infrastructure in India in an international publication — The Economist.
“The extensive 392 km network and the multilateral benefits outlined in various studies showcase the positive contributions of Delhi Metro. Multilateral benefits of the DMRC be it social, economic or environmental has been verified by many studies. People admire it and demand its services all over Delhi,” Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, DMRC, said.
According to Delhi Metro, an EPCA (Environment Pollution (prevention and control) Authority) report states that without an augmented public transport system, Delhi and other cities in India will not be able to combat toxic air pollution.
“The report states that Delhi Metro’s share in public transport is 30% of the total passenger kilometres in the city as compared to only 19 % share of buses,” DMRC said in the statement.
Dayal further added that each mode has its specific characteristics. They should be assigned corridors depending on their suitability and effectiveness. They should be tactically planned in a way that they should complement, instead of competing with, each other.
“The use of mixed modes of public transport is a paramount requirement, especially in Delhi which had a population of 32 million (approx.) in 2022 and is among one of the highly densely populated cities with a density of 18,000 people per square kilometre,” the statement said.
