Accordingly the Chennai Metro Rail is ambitiously hoping to increase the frequency of its trains to cater better to its patrons. Currently trials are being done to bring down the train frequency to once every 2.5 minutes in an attempt to increase ridership and if trials prove successful, present frequency from 5 minutes will be halved. Furthermore CMRL currently enjoys over one lakh commuters during weekdays and averages just over 95,000 during the weekends and authorities hope that by the time ridership reaches 4 lakh, the new, improved frequency of trains will be in place.
Presently on the Washermenpet - Airport route (Blue line) trains ply once in every five minutes during peak hours (8.00 am to 11.00 am and 5 pm to 8.00 pm) and one every seven minutes during non-peak hours (6 am to 8.00 am, 12.00 pm to 5.00 pm and 8.00 pm to 10 pm). Perhaps on the Chennai Central to Airport route (Inter-connecting corridor) and the Chennai Central to St Thomas route (Green line) the trains ply at a frequency of 10 minutes during peak hours and 14 minutes during non-peak hours.
Moreover the system has been designed for 2.5 minutes and since CMRL is yet to tap into its full potential, preparations are underway to increase its efficiency. However, according to report CMRL does not have enough trains to run every 2.5 minutes and 35 trains are operated during peak hours and 25 during non-peak hours. Reports notes that CMRL conducted its first trial run on August 10 followed by which another trial run was to take place the following week
