A record over 1 lakh people commuted in Kochi metro till 8 p.m. on June 17, Friday, the fifth anniversary of the commissioning of the mass rapid transport system.
This has been attributed to Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) announcing a flat fare of ₹5 per passenger for travel from any station to the other. The metro has been witnessing daily footfall hover at 60,000 during the past over a month.
The metro agency’s official celebrations began with its managing director Loknath Behera (whose birthday falls on the day) raising a flag at the operational control centre in Muttom. Special services were operated for 250 differently abled children, their parents and teachers, with the help of the Centre for Empowerment and Enrichment.
The day, which was observed as Kerala Metro Day, saw a get-together being hosted at IMA Hall. In his online address, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said Kochi would witness a unique combination of different modes of commute with the impending commissioning of the Water Metro. He exhorted KMRL to take steps to ensure that passengers are able to travel seamlessly in a single ticket in the metro, ferries, buses, autorickshaws and trains.
While expressing concern at the delay in metro extensions, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden said the ushering in of the metro rail system saw the growth of KMRL as a corporate entity. “The KMRL must augment last-mile connectivity in order to improve footfall and attract 80% of motorists in the city,” said T.J. Vinod, MLA.
Mayor M Anilkumar spoke of how Kochi is among the cities that are rated high in urban mobility in the country. He had a word of praise for the cleanliness and reliability of the Kochi metro ecosystem. Mr. Behera said the city would further develop if the metro was extended to Marine Drive, Infopark and Thripunithura.
Students of the music club of St. Teresa’s College presented musical evenings at Edappally metro station on June 16 and 17 as part of the celebrations.
