Billions Spent on India's Metro Expansion, But Where Are the Riders?

India has poured billions of dollars into expanding its metro rail networks across the country, but the lack of commuters on these state-of-the-art systems has become a growing concern. Despite the massive infrastructure investments, many metro lines are struggling to attract riders, raising questions about the long-term viability of these projects.

The issue of low metro ridership is particularly acute in smaller cities, where the cost of building and operating the systems often outweighs the number of people using them. Experts say that without better last-mile connectivity and more affordable fares, metro use is unlikely to improve quickly.

"The problem is that people are not finding the metro convenient enough to use," said Amit Bhatt, the director of integrated transport at the World Resources Institute India. "They either can't reach the stations easily, or the fares are too high for their budgets."

In the southern city of Chennai, for example, the metro system has struggled to attract riders since its launch in 2015. Despite the city's population of over 10 million, the metro sees just 150,000 daily commuters, a fraction of its capacity.

Part of the issue is the lack of feeder bus services and last-mile connectivity to the metro stations, making it difficult for many residents to access the system. The fares, which can range from ₹10 to ₹60 ($0.12 to $0.75) per trip, are also seen as too high for the city's lower-income population.

Similar challenges have plagued metro projects in other Indian cities, such as Jaipur, Lucknow, and Kanpur, where ridership has fallen short of expectations. In some cases, the metros have even had to be subsidized by state governments to stay operational.

The problem is not limited to smaller cities. Even in India's largest metropolitan areas, such as Delhi and Mumbai, the metro systems have struggled to become the primary mode of transport for the majority of commuters.

"The metro is still seen as a premium mode of transport, rather than a mass transit system," said Sudhir Krishna, a former secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development. "Unless we address the issues of accessibility and affordability, the metro will continue to be underutilized."

Experts say that for the metro to become a truly transformative mode of transport, the government needs to invest not just in the rail infrastructure, but also in the supporting systems that make the metro accessible and affordable for the masses. This includes improving feeder bus networks, last-mile connectivity, and exploring innovative fare structures that cater to different income groups.

Until these issues are addressed, the billions of dollars poured into India's metro expansion may not translate into the kind of commuter-friendly, sustainable urban mobility that the country desperately needs.