Metro Rail Patronage declines shifts of outstation buses to Kilambakkam

After the relocation of outstation bus operations from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) in Koyambedu to Kilambakkam, there has been a decline in metro rail patronage, which had previously shown a consistent increase post-Covid. In January 2024, monthly ridership witnessed a decrease of 6,000 passengers, totalling nearly 85 lakh footfalls, compared to December 2023. Despite the decline, a CMRL official expressed that they have not observed a significant drop and do not anticipate further decreases in patronage. The shift in bus operations affected passengers within the city and some suburban areas who used to rely on the metro to reach CMBT quickly, avoiding congested 100-ft-wide roads during evening hours. Many individuals arriving at Chennai airport from domestic and international destinations previously opted for metro trains to reach CMBT for buses heading to southern destinations such as Madurai, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli. However, with the relocation to Kilambakkam, commuters find the journey more time-consuming and exhausting, especially without the prospect of a metro rail extension to Kilambakkam. CMBT, once a crucial multimodal hub for metro rail, witnessed a change in footfalls on the Central Line in the evenings. The shift of outstation bus operations to Kilambakkam on January 1 affected approximately 1,000 government buses and 600 Omni buses during weekdays, reaching 1,000 during weekends. Despite the recent dip, the metro rail currently averages 2.73 lakh daily passengers, doubling the pre-Covid-19 average of 1.16 lakh, reflecting its continued significance in the transportation network.