Year-long study to find out commuter pain points, suggest solutions

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad will soon carry out an elaborate study to see how Chennai Metro can get more people to take the network.

Acoording to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), a Memorandam Of Understanding has been inked with L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad recently and the study will begin soon. “They will look at a host of issues, including ways to increase ridership, the issues that commuters face and how they can be overcome. They will carry out a survey, speaking to commuters in all 32 stations, and see what their requirements are,” an official said.

The firm will also monitor last-mile connectivity issues. Though there are feeder services like share cars available at most stations, the number of people using them has been rather low. So, they will suggest how connectivity issues can be overcome, the official explained. “For instance, we have been making announcements on platforms and have put up signage inside and outside stations about the feeder services. But except a handful of stations like Chennai Airport, Thirumangalam and Meenambakkam, the usage has been pretty low in other stations. We have been seriously looking at ways to increase it,” he added.

Periodic suggestions

The study will be conducted for a year. “But the recommendations will be given periodically, as and when a substantial finding is made. Then, at the end of the study, an overall study will be submitted,” another source said.

CMRL officials said that L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad had conducted a similar study on their existing network sometime back. “We understand that it helped them quite a bit, so we wanted them to do it for us as well,” another official said.

As there has been no study so far to understand ridership issues, hence, officials said that this exercise will significantly help boost patronage.