By the beginning of 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Delhi metro’s 389-km network had a daily line utilization, a curious term that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) prefers instead of ‘ridership’, of nearly 5.5 million. Delhi Metro is not alone in this quagmire; all the major metro rail companies in India are also facing financial losses. DMRC’s revenue from traffic operations, which includes income from tickets, feeder bus services and rentals, and other services, fell sharply to Rs.896 crores in 2020-21, from Rs.3,897 crores in 2019-2020, as ridership dropped.