The spike in metro usage follows the indefinite strike launched by nearly 10,000 private buses, which stayed off the roads.
Published Jul 09, 2025 | 7:09 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 09, 2025 | 7:09 AM
KMRL.
Metro services in Kochi experienced an unprecedented surge in demand from early morning on Tuesday, 8 July, as thousands of commuters, particularly school students and office workers, turned to alternative transportation due to a statewide strike by private bus operators.
The sudden spike in demand led KMRL to boost operations by adding two additional coaches to increase service frequency.
According to a KMRL spokesperson, ridership between 6.30 am and 7.30 am, and again after 8 am, was twice the normal volume, prompting real-time operational adjustments. The daily average metro ridership, which hovers close to one lakh, is expected to touch record highs on Tuesday, surpassing even the 1.3 lakh commuters recorded on New Year’s Eve — the current single-day record.
The spike in metro usage follows the indefinite strike launched by nearly 10,000 private buses, which stayed off the roads from Tuesday morning.
While the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) rolled out additional services to ease the situation, the effort fell short of addressing the overwhelming commuter demand.
