Digital Billboards along the Metro Corridor were launched this afternoon at Rose Hill Central Station in the presence of the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo, the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, Mrs Nandini Singla, and the CEO of Metro Express Ltd (MEL), Dr Das Mootanah. The ceremony was organised by MEL in collaboration with Alliance Media and also marks MEL’s five million passengers’ milestone achievement.
In his address, Minister Ganoo, stated that in spite of being a comparatively new operator in the transport sector Metro Express Ltd has so far surpassed our expectations on its achievements. It has persistently pursued to meet targets as well as achieved excellence in the field of transport, he indicated.
For him, it is important to promote customer loyalty and build trust also in the transport sector. Accordingly, efforts in meeting the expectations of commuters need to be sustained so that they continue to avail themselves of the services of the light rail on a regular basis, he pointed out.
MEL, observed the Minister, has realised this customer loyalty and has been able to build this trust in such a short span of time. The five million passenger trip milestone is a feat resulting from the determination and the tenacity of MEL in providing optimal services to commuters, he noted.
It should not be forgotten that Metro Express Limited has had to temporarily cease operations during the two national lockdowns and had to operate with minimal capacity during the initial phases of economic resumption, recalled Mr Ganoo. Achieving a ridership of five million passengers in less than two years of commercial operation also confirms the confidence that our citizens have placed in the light rail system as the preferred mode of transport, he added.
For her part, the Indian High Commissioner, highlighted that today we are together to commemorate the five million ridership of Metro Express which is a truly important milestone for the Metro Express but also for the India-Mauritius partnership as the Metro Express is truly the flagship project for the longstanding cooperation between our two countries.
India, she emphasised, is proud to be associated with this prestigious project that brings the railways back to Mauritius after nearly six decades. Today’s event is testimony to the fact that the metro is growing more and more popular in Mauritius as a safe, reliable and quick mode of transportation and is transforming the transport landscape of the country, she remarked.
As for MEL’s CEO, he said that Metro Express has exceeded five million passengers mark and this is indeed a major achievement by MEL and comes in less than two years after the commercial operation of the light rail system. MEL has faced many challenges as is the case with many companies operating in the transport sector in terms of ridership and operations but MEL is still successfully operating, he affirmed.
He expressed gratitude to all commuters for their loyalty, as well as to MEL’s dedicated staff for their continuous hard work and efforts, the Indian Government for the funding, and the Government of Mauritius, which has led to achieving this important milestone.
