Joyriders galore as Kochi Metro earns over Rs 20 lakh on opening day [Video]

Kochi Metro had a memorable debut by raking in Rs 20.42 lakh from ticket sales on the first day of its commercial operations, thanks to joyriders from across the state. 

As per data provided by the KMRL, 62,320 people took the ride in the Aluva-Palarivattom stretch from 6 am till 7 pm on Monday. The number is expected to cross the 70,000-mark since the trains operated till 10 pm.

Also read: 7 things to know before you take a ride on Kochi Metro

There was heavy rush at majority of the stations throughout the day, especially at the Palarivattom and Aluva terminals. As the rush reduced in the evening, Pulinchode and Ambattukavu stations started issuing Kochi One smart cards, for cashless travel. Around 50 cards were issued on the opening day, according to reports.

“The day’s earnings is more than the income earned by Chennai Metro on its first day of operation. I took a morning train ride and was happy to see the delight on the face of commuters. That made this Monday one of the best days of my life,” The Hindu quoted KMRL managing director Elias George as saying.

Also read: Thousands throng stations as Kochi Metro begins operations [Photos]

Meanwhile, around 12 persons were fined for petty offences such as overstaying in stations. Most of them were penalised for not alighting from the platform after completing a journey or procuring a new ticket for the return journey. A few persons were also fined for littering the station premises and trains, based on surveillance camera footage.

The Kochi Metro was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a function at the Kaloor stadium on Saturday.

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