CHENNAI: It may take at least a year for metro rail services to regain its pre-Covid traffic when it resumes train operations, as it may lose riders who may opt to work from home permanently or those who may fear of getting the infection; say transport experts and activists.
CMRL saw an average 1.16 lakh ridership daily till February 2020, which was much lower than the initially projected number of 7.76 lakh, before the services had to be shut due to the pandemic induced nationwide lockdown.
After services resumed in September 2020, footfalls reached more than 80% of the pre-Covid numbers in February 2021 after 9km phase-1 extension opened but train operations were again shut due to the second wave.
Sanjeev Dyamannavar, an urban mobility activist said it may take a year or two for metro services in cities like Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, where there is a mix of IT and other crowds using the trains regularly, to regain their pre-covid patronage as there may be fear of infection particularly after the second wave.
“Most would not want to use public transport like metro due to the fear of infection.
Unless metros ensure better frequency, good multimodal integration and smooth movement of passengers within stations and completion of other lines on time, the pre-Covid traffic may not come any time soon,” he said.
While the absence of the IT crowd, who may work from home, may hit metro services in Bengaluru and Hyderabad more as they are dependent on them, experts believe metro in Chennai too may take a hit.
Shreya Gadepalli, south Asia director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy said when many firms are planning to make WFH permanent post-Covid, transport modes like the metro that serve the higher end of the public transport users may see a drop in ridership, as these crowds may not return.
Despite the absence of the IT crowd, experts hope the rest of the patronage may return as the vaccine roll out may instil some confidence of using public transport.
Earlier, the centre said all adults will be vaccinated by 2021 end.
“When metro services resumed in September 2020, we saw the numbers up by February when most people almost forgot about Covid.
This time, it may take long for people to return because they saw the worse in the second wave.
If another wave is prevented, travel may recover quickly,” said a transport expert from Anna University.
CMRL officials said their numbers increased before the second wave even while the IT crowd was working from home.
“We will follow all protocols like before to ensure our passengers travel safely,” an official said.