NEW DELHI: Kolkata Metro Railway has reported a significant increase of 19.9 percent in its non-fare revenue (NFR) earnings for the fiscal year 2023-24.

According to a statement by kolkata Metro spokesperson Kaushik Mitra, the NFR earnings for the period from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, amounted to Rs 43.56 crore, surpassing the previous year's figure of Rs 36.33 crore.

The statement highlighted that in March 2024 alone, Metro recorded an NFR earning of Rs 3.44 crore.

"Kolkata Metro, being one of the smallest zones of Indian Railways, mainly depends on passenger earnings. To increase its revenue, innovative approaches and meticulous planning have been adopted for improving NFR earnings substantially," the statement said.

The statement suggested collaboration with corporate houses for branding Kolkata Metro premises, including displays, stalls, kiosks, and digital initiatives.

With the opening of new Metro corridors, Metro aims to exceed expectations and achieve significant success in the current financial year, 2024-25.

Furthermore, the spokesperson mentioned that more corporate entities have expressed interest in partnering with Metro Railway to further boost NFR earnings.

In terms of passenger numbers, Metro carried 19.25 crore passengers in the fiscal year 2023-24, representing an increase of 8.82 percent compared to the previous year's figure of 17.69 crore passengers.