Tamil Nadu CM slashes Chennai Metro fares, here's what you will have to pay from Feb 22

Ahead of upcoming state Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday announced a reduction in the fares for passengers of Chennai Metro Rail. The new fares of CMRL will come into effect from February 22, 2021 (Monday) as per the state government's order.

The fares have been brought down by Rs 20 and a ride across the entire stretch of Chennai Metro would now cost Rs 50 instead of the previous Rs 70. However, the minimum fare of Rs 10 remains unchanged.

As per the new fare structure, for a distance of 2 km, commuters on the Chennai Metro will now have to pay Rs 10. Earlier, the fare for a distance of 2-4km was Rs 20 and now commuters will have to pay Rs 20 for travelling for 2-5km.

To travel a distance of 5-12 kilometres, commuters will have to pay Rs 30. For travelling up to 21 kilometres, the fare is Rs 40 and beyond 21 kilometres, the fare will be capped at Rs 50.

Passengers who book their metro tickets using the QR code or CMRL smart cards will be provided with an additional 20% discount. Passengers travelling on Sundays and public holidays will now get a 50% discount on their daily tickets (not for daily passes).

The reduction in the fares and additional discounts offered to the passengers will attract more commuters to travel by Metro.

Commuters who use unlimited day passes at Rs 100 for the 45 kilometre long phase-1 of CMRL will now get unlimited day passes at the same amount till Wimco Nagar. Similarly, passengers can also obtain monthly passes for the same amount as it is currently (Rs 2,500) and utilise it even till the newly extended line to Wimco Nagar which was recently inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) extension line from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar for the completion of Phase I of the project. The Metro line covers a stretch of 54.15km and has two corridors, one from Airport to Wimco Nagar and the other from St Thomas Mount to Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Central Metro.

CMRL had been planning for a while to reduce its fares in order to attract more commuters, said a report by The Hindu earlier this month.