Trade fair: Delhi Metro ridership zooms

NEW DELHI - The Delhi Metro recorded a heavy rush of passengers at its Pragati Maidan station during the week, thanks to the India International Trade Fair (IITF), an official said Monday.

“Compared to last year, we have received a higher footfall during the trade fair,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.

The metro station at Pragati Maidan, venue of the fair, saw 1.56 lakh commuters Sunday alone, he said. The figure last year was 1.34 lakh.

For the entire week (Nov 14-21), ridership stood at 12.23 lakh, the highest ever for the first week of IITF, he added.

DMRC has extended its peak hour frequency, with 23 additional trains making an extra 100 trips daily, he said.

Token counters have also been set up at the Pragati Maidan station, and additional customer facilitation agents (CFAs) and security guards have been deployed at important stations like Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate.

This is the 30th edition of the fair held annually from Nov 14-27.