Delhi Metro: Mass Rapid Transit System Crosses Two-Billion Mark In 2023

The Delhi Metro recorded 2,032,342,972 passenger journeys in 2023, the highest ever since the COVID-19 lockdown, as per the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) report.

The DMRC operates a 393-km network in Delhi-NCR, consisting of 288 stations. There are 12 Metro lines, which include major lines such as the Airport Express Line (AEL), the Rapid Metro in Gurugram, and the Aqua Line (Noida-Greater Noida).

The Delhi Metro operated on all 365 days of the year till 2019 but the COVID-19 pandemic curbed operations to 197 and 337 days in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The full-fledged operations of the Delhi Metro resumed in 2022.

As per the DMRC, there are two possible reasons for the sudden jump in number of passengers in 2023. The first reason is the switch from pandemic-induced work-from-home to on-site operation and the second probable reason is the footfall impact of the Pink and Magenta Lines (operationalised in 2018) and the Grey Line (operationalised in 2019).

DMRC recorded an average of 0.56 crores passengers per day in 2023, up from 0.409 crore passengers in 2022, and 0.505 crore passengers in 2019.

On weekdays, 0.602 crore passengers travelled in 2023, compared to 0.447 crore in 2022, and 0.546 crore in 2019.

How does DMRC Calculate Passenger Journeys?

In 2019, DMRC started calculating passenger journeys- the number of Metro lines used by a single passenger to complete her journey. Till 2018, DMRC calculated passenger ridership- the total number of tickets sold, and the Metro cards used by commuters to enter and exit a station.

"For ridership, each entry and exit of a commuter would be counted towards the daily total, and the figure would be one, no matter how many lines the passenger used. Passenger journeys, meanwhile, can include line interchanges, and each line is a separate number. So, if a passenger uses three Metro lines before exiting, this counts as three passenger journeys," the DMRC official explained.

Is The Comparison Fair?

A transport expert and founder of the Urban Works Institute, Shreya Gadepalli said that as the city grows, the travel demand also grows with it. Therefore, a comparison between figures for 2023 and 2019 would be a more accurate reflection of the current situation.