Chennai Metro Logs 10.20 Mn Passengers In March

07 Apr 2026 CW Team

The Chennai Metro Rail Limited recorded ridership of 10.20 million (mn) passengers in March, marking the third instance of monthly patronage crossing the 10 million mark. Earlier milestones were reached in July and September 2025, with the highest-ever monthly total registered in July when over 10.30 mn passengers used the metro network. The March figure was provided in a CMRL press note issued after compiling the monthly data. The data underline a growing reliance on the metro for urban travel in Chennai.

The agency reported that the highest single-day total in March occurred on March 13, when more than 0.39 mn passengers travelled on the network. The average daily ridership in March stood at 0.33 mn, following an all-time high daily average of 0.34 mn in February. Officials attributed the recent surge in patronage to changes in suburban rail services affecting the Beach–Tambaram corridor.

The reduction in EMU train services between the Beach and Tambaram section owing to redevelopment works at Egmore railway station was cited as a contributing factor for commuters shifting to the metro. In ticketing trends, the National Common Mobility Card recorded the highest usage with 5.29 mn passengers while QR ticketing accounted for 1.92 mn journeys in March. CMRL commentary underlined the growing preference for contactless and interoperable payment modes among regular users.

A regular commuter suggested that ridership is likely to rise further once Phase two begins and urged CMRL to bolster last-mile connectivity from all stations. The commuter observed that first and last-mile travel frequently costs more than the metro fare and recommended improvements to feeder services to ensure equitable access. Authorities were advised to plan additional coordination with local transport providers to accommodate the higher passenger volumes. Planning for scalable operations and improved integration with other modes was urged to maintain service quality.

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