News Brief
Arjun Brij
Feb 26, 2025, 04:00 PM | Updated 04:00 PM IST
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With the recently launched Metro Connect services receiving a positive response, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is set to extend its fleet of fully air-conditioned e-feeder buses to two additional city circular routes—High Court-MG Road and Kadavanthra-KP Vallon Road—beginning next week.
The much-anticipated High Court-MG Road service aims to enhance connectivity between MG Road and Maharaja’s College metro stations and the High Court water metro terminal, offering commuters a swift and seamless transit option, reported The New Indian Express.
"The High Court-MG Road circular service will be the first to start, likely on 5 March. The Kadavanthra-KP Vallon Road service will begin a few days after that," a senior KMRL official was quoted as saying by TNIE.
KMRL first introduced the 33-seater electric feeder buses on 15 January, launching services on the Aluva-Airport, Kalamassery-Medical College, Kalamassery-CUSAT, Kalamassery-Infopark, and Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark-Collectorate routes.
Since then, nine out of the 15 purchased e-feeder buses have been deployed.
The response has been encouraging, with over one lakh commuters using the service in the past 40 days.
The cumulative average daily ridership has now reached 3,000 passengers, with notable growth on the Infopark route, where daily commuter numbers per bus have surged from an initial 40 to 220.
For the upcoming High Court circular route, three buses will be in operation.
The service will begin at the High Court water metro terminal and cover Madhava Pharmacy Junction, MG Road metro station, Maharaja’s metro station, and General Hospital before returning to its starting point.
The new services will run from 8 am to 8 pm, operating at 20 minute intervals, with a fare of Rs 20 for a 5 km journey.
Metro Connect services in the Aluva-Airport section continue to operate from 6.45 am to 11 pm, with buses available every 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during non-peak hours.
The fare for this route is set at Rs 180.
Arjun Brij is an Editorial Associate at Swarajya. He tweets at @arjun_brij