Amid the severe pollution plaguing the national capital, the Delhi Metro on November 18 recorded its highest-ever daily ridership, with a staggering 78.67 lakh passenger journeys, according to official data.

This figure surpassed the previous peak of 77.49 lakh passengers on August 20 this year, according to the data.

On November 18, the Yellow Line, which connects Millennium City Center in Gurugram to Samaypur Badli in Delhi, witnessed the highest passenger traffic, with a record number of 20.99 lakh commuters.

The Blue Line followed closely with 20.80 lakh passengers, while the Red Line recorded 8.56 lakh commuters, 8.15 lakh on the Pink Line and 7.93 lakh on the Purple Line.

The Magenta Line saw 6.19 lakh passengers, followed by the Green Line with 4.12 lakh commuters, 81,985 on the Airport Line, 57,701 in the Rapid Metro and 50,128 in the Gray Line, according to the data.

Thick gray haze continued to smother Delhi for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with pollution levels remaining alarmingly high at 488 in the ‘severe plus’ category.

To encourage more people to use the metro in this scenario, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is operating 60 additional trips on weekdays, providing more capacity than usual, an official statement said.

The DMRC recorded its highest 25 passenger trips since August this year, the statement added.

He pointed out that the more people opt for the metro over private vehicles, the greater the reduction in vehicle emissions, which will help improve the air quality of the city and its surrounding areas.

Besides, the DMRC has introduced several measures to make travel more convenient for passengers, the statement said.

These include the ability to book tickets for one or more journeys through various digital platforms, allowing passengers to plan their journey anytime and anywhere without the need to queue at the station.

Additionally, partnerships with organizations like IRCTC, NCRTC, ITPO and others have enabled people to not only travel by metro but also access interconnected travel options, as well as to various offers and events, all with ease, the press release indicates.

The DMRC also said that it is one of the most eco-friendly transport options and the first metro system in the world to be registered for carbon credits with the United Nations for its environmental measures.