Despite reopening a few months ago, the Namma Metro ridership has remained low. People are still worried about Covid safety issues. One way suggested to bring back more people to the Metro is by making it a safer mode of transport by minimising touch-points even more.
DH interacts with a cross-section of Bengalureans to ascertain their views on making the mass transit mode a preferred and reliable commute option once again.
Shuhail K T, a resident of Garvebhavipalya, has this to say: “The main reason why people are reluctant to enter the Metro is the fear of the Covid spreading by contact. We need to take precautions but sometimes we exaggerate our apprehensions. Even youngsters are avoiding the Metro.”
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), he suggests, can stop checking of bags and continue with the online recharge of the Metro card. The contactless ticketing option should be extended further.
The Metro had emerged as a solution for the city’s infamous traffic congestion. However, after the pandemic outbreak, most Bengalureans now prefer to travel by their own vehicles.
Ashitha Sarma, an MBA student notes, “It is critical to ensure that the Metro returns as an alternative to the road traffic by prioritising safety. Touch-points such as the X-Ray baggage scanning machines and checking of our bags can be stopped till the vaccination process completes.”
Merely halting the physical checking process at the stations will not suffice. “The public should be made aware of the stoppage. Besides, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) such as the use of sanitisers, keeping social distance and not crowding inside the Metro coaches need to be strictly followed,” she says.
In the words of Yadhu Krishnan, a resident of Vijayanagar, “Precaution is better than cure. The Metro authorities should not be in a hurry to increase the footfall at Metro Stations.
They should control the number of people that can enter into the coaches. Otherwise, Covid cases could rise again.” He adds, “Instead of thinking only from the perspective of the economy, we can also consider people’s health. When the vaccination drive is completed, the Metro can see that its ridership returns to pre-Covid levels.”
The use of smart cards will not be affordable to everyone, notes Suryanath S, a research scholar. “When it comes to the tickets, BMRCL encourages the use of smart cards instead of paper tickets to reduce physical contact. But this may not be affordable for students and daily wage workers. So a digital platform or app should be created for those who need to take tickets daily,” he suggests.
Drawing attention to the rise in traffic congestion in the city, Suryanath attributes this to the citizens’ preference to use their own personal vehicles and avoid risky public transport. This, he says, is only bound to get worse unless the Metro and buses ensure total safety from the virus.