Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The city’s much-celebrated Metro service, which sparked overwhelming enthusiasm during its inaugural week of free rides, has seen a steep decline in passenger ridership which dropped by nearly 70% once the paid travel came into effect.

On June 8 (last Sunday), the first paid Sunday, the Metro recorded 18,087 commuters. In contrast, this Sunday (June 15), only 7,394 people boarded the train, marking a sharp 60% fall in just one week.

The decline remained even more striking across the weekdays. From Monday (June 9) to Saturday (June 14), not a single day saw footfall exceeding 3,350, with the lowest turnout recorded on Friday (June 13), when only 2,364 passengers used the service.

In total, from June 9 to June 15, the Metro had just 25,362 passengers, a drastic 82% decline when compared to the 1.43 lakh commuters who travelled during the free trial week (June 1 to June 7).

Despite the promising start, the drastic drop in ridership signals the challenge of sustaining interest once fares are introduced. While Metro authorities have already rolled out fare discounts (Rs 20 to Rs 30) to encourage usage, it appears that pricing continues to be a deterrent for many commuters.

Officials, however, remain optimistic. “These fluctuations are natural when transitioning from free to paid services. We are continuously working on improving accessibility, frequency and connectivity to attract consistent ridership,” said a senior metro official.

Indore Metro currently operates between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3, covering five stations, running from 8 AM to 8 PM at a frequency of every 30 minutes.

As the monsoon approaches and daily commuting patterns shift, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Indore’s Metro can establish itself as a sustainable, daily travel choice for the city’s population.

Metro overall status

Indore Metro Ridership Comparison & Estimated Fare Collection

Metro Fares

• June 1 to 7: Free travel offered

• June 8 to 14: 75% discount (Tickets at Rs5 and Rs 8)

• June 15 to 21: 50% discount (Tickets at Rs 10 and Rs 15)

• After June 22: 25% discount

METRO ESTIMATES (APPROX)

• Total ridership (Free week, June 1–7): 1,43,301

• Total ridership (Paid week, June 8–15): 43,449

• Overall drop in ridership: ? 69.7%

• Estimated total fare collected: Rs 2,54,215 (approx.)