The decision to raise Nagpur Metro fares by four times has taken a serious toll as the ridership has declined drastically by 50% over a mere seven months. The increase in fares has resulted in a monthly operating loss of around Rs 25 to 30 million. Earlier, the daily ridership stood at 1.3 million until mid-January. However, after the fare hikes, it dropped to a meagre 65,000 in July.

The ridership decline began with a drop to over 80,000 at the end of January. Unfortunately, this downward trend continues, having now fallen by an additional 15,000. Despite these alarming figures, the Metro authorities seem reluctant to lower fares. The new managing director, Shravan Hardikar, expressed a focus on enhancing services to boost ridership rather than reducing fares.

Considering loan repayments, the Metro's financial losses are even more significant. The project secured foreign loans of around Rs 4,300 crore for Phase I. These loans are being repaid through six-monthly instalments.

Metro Struggles with Defects and Reduced Speed

Contrary to initial claims of being a durable project, Nagpur Metro has faced issues within months of completion. Defects have surfaced in two locations, causing trains' speed to be restricted on these stretches. The Concor railway overbridge (ROB) between New Airport and Khapri stations experienced settlement issues in the track plinth, reducing the speed. A similar problem was found in the four-level traffic structure in Gaddigodam.

A minor settlement occurred due to natural factors, while soil stabilization measures have been undertaken. In the second case, a track settlement defect affected both tracks on an 80 m steel girder bridge. Immediate inspections were conducted, and rectification efforts are underway to ensure safe operation.