Served 5.36 lakh passengers in a day
Raftaar e Deccan News Bureau
HYDERABAD – As torrential downpours brought Hyderabad to a standstill on Thursday, the city’s metro system shattered all previous records, serving a staggering 5.36 lakh passengers in a single day. The unprecedented rush came as citizens sought refuge from gridlocked streets and severe waterlogging caused by what many described as a cloudburst-like event.
The intense rainfall, which lashed the city throughout the evening, crippled normal life and overwhelmed the city’s infrastructure. Khajaguda recorded an immense 134 mm of rain, with Srinagar Colony receiving 120 mm, leading to flash floods across the metropolis.[1] Key areas such as Manikonda, Serilingampally, and Shaikpet were left completely submerged, turning roads into impassable waterways and causing massive traffic snarls that stranded commuters for hours.
With roads blocked and vehicular movement grinding to a halt, the Hyderabad Metro Rail emerged as the primary mode of transport for hundreds of thousands of residents. The surge in passengers represented a significant jump from the metro’s usual daily average of 4.6 to 4.7 lakh commuters. Officials reported the heaviest footfall along the LB Nagar–Miyapur and Rayadurgam–Ameerpet corridors, as people flocked to the elevated rail network to navigate the flooded city.
The crisis underscored the metro’s critical role in Hyderabad’s public transport system, offering a resilient alternative when extreme weather events paralyze conventional transit. As civic authorities continue to address the widespread waterlogging, Thursday’s events highlight the increasing reliance on the metro for maintaining mobility during urban emergencies.