Delhi Metro-Rapido Partnership: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has partnered with Rapido to provide bike and autorickshaw rides straight from metro stations in an effort to enhance last-mile connectivity.

Soon, upon buying their metro tickets, commuters will be able to reserve these journeys using Delhi Metro’s Momentum 2.0 smartphone app. The goal of this project is to make everyday commutes easier and more convenient by offering a door-to-door travel experience.

How Does This New Feature Operate?
When a commuter chooses the door-to-door transport option with this new service, the app will:

Suggest the closest metro stations at the beginning and ending locations.

A bike or car is automatically scheduled to be picked up from the origin and driven to the closest metro stop.

For last-mile connection, arrange for a different transport before the passenger arrives at their last metro stop.

The software won’t recommend ride-booking possibilities, however, if a commuter’s starting or destination is within walking distance of a metro station.

Reservations Made Using the Estimated Travel Time
The anticipated total journey time will be used to schedule the pickup from the destination metro station. There may be minor differences in pickup times, however, since this does not account for traffic jams or metro delays. Crucially, according to a story by The Print, commuters’ movements would not be monitored during this procedure.

Improving the Experience of Metro Travel
It is anticipated that this new function would boost Metro use by improving commuting efficiency. Additionally, it will support DMRC’s analysis of travel data to enhance train timetables, route planning, and the general traveler experience.

Ridership on Delhi Metro has already increased; in February 2024, there were about 71 lakh daily passenger travels. This project might increase Metro’s appeal to commuters by addressing last-mile connectivity.

The Importance of Improved Last-Mile Communication
Traveling to and from metro stations may be expensive and inconvenient for commuters, even though the Metro is the mainstay of public transportation in Delhi-NCR. To increase the efficiency of Metro travel, transportation experts have long stressed the necessity for reasonably priced and well-integrated first and last-mile connections.

Metro passengers spend more than half of their overall travel expenses on first- and last-mile connection, according to a 2015 research, according to E. Madhu, Chief Scientist at the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI). According to a research by The Print, many commuters still choose to use their own cars, particularly two-wheelers, since last-mile choices are costly and unreliable.

An important step in resolving the city’s last-mile connection problems is the Delhi Metro-Rapido cooperation. DMRC wants to improve travel’s ease, affordability, and convenience by including bike and car services within the Metro ticketing app. It is anticipated that this program would increase Metro usage, lessen reliance on private automobiles, and increase accessibility to public transportation for commuters in Delhi-NCR.