Loke said that the report did not factor in “certain context”.

He cited the comparisons made by the audit department on the average daily ridership in 2019 and 2021.

The figure of 37.4% was achieved in 2019, when the average daily ridership was 175,213 against the target of 469,000.

Meanwhile, in 2021, only 10.8% was achieved with an average daily ridership of 53,624 against the target of 495,000.

“2021 was (during the height of the) Covid-19 (pandemic) and (we were in) lockdown for months. So many could not move around.

“The report cited a few examples which may not be accurate in certain contexts.”

Movement restrictions were enforced in March 2020, before it was slowly eased off and subsequently lifted.

Referring to graphs, Loke said the average daily ridership for MRT1 was over 200,000, but in 2020 and 2021, it dropped to 60,000.

“But after (the) Covid-19 (pandemic), the average ridership increased to 240,000.”

He said to date there had been an 18% increase in ridership from last year and that by 2026, it would go over 300,000 for MRT1.

Loke said MRT2, which was completed in March last year, saw an average ridership increase to 140,000 from the initial 93,000.

“And while we haven’t reached a target for both (lines), the trend is increasing.”

Loke also said that presently the average daily ridership across all five rail modes, came to about 950,000, while on May 29, it hit an all time high of one million riders.

“So to me this is a good indicator.”