Bengaluru: Citizen activism & online campaigns play key role in getting Whitefield-Challaghatta Metro line operational

Bengaluru Metro's entire Purple Line (Challaghatta - Whitefield) is now operational.

There was a sense of joy in the country's tech capital, Bengaluru on October 8. One of the reasons was the Indian cricket team opening its 2023 World Cup campaign with a win. The other reason had to do with the opening of passenger service on the long-awaited and much-delayed Whitefield-KR Pura Metro section.

In a one-page letter dated October 8, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) asked the Karnataka government to throw open two Metro sections (2.10 km Byappanahalli - KR Pura and 2.05 km Kengeri - Challaghatta) for passenger services starting the morning of October 9, without any formal or informal official function.

Also Read | Bengaluru Metro: Much-awaited Whitefield-Challaghatta corridor to be operational from October 9

This is a departure from services being flagged off after ribbon-cuttings by netas. This is, however, not the first time that a completed facility faced delays. India's first centralised AC railway station - Sir M Visvesvaraya terminal in Byappanahalli - which was designed along the lines of the Bengaluru airport, commenced train services after 14 months of completion. Although it was initially slated to be inaugurated on March 15, 2021, it remained closed to the public till June 6, 2022.

Bengaluru's traffic issue

A traffic index published by Dutch location technology specialist TomTom in February this year stated that Bengaluru was the second-most congested city in the world in 2022. On September 27, Outer Ring Road (ORR) users were stuck in traffic for around four hours.

However, the lack of a mass transit rail system, unlike Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, forced Bengaluru residents to rely on their own vehicles. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), with a daily ridership of 35 lakh, is the lifeline. However, its speed drastically reduced with the number of private vehicles crossing one crore. BMTC also failed to increase its fleet from 6,300, against the requirement of 12,000-14,000. Namma Metro commenced operations between Byappanahalli and MG Road on October 20, 2011.

In 2017, BMRCL awarded the contract for the 15km Byappanahalli-Whitefield elevated corridor to ITD Cementation India Ltd, and it was supposed to be ready by 2020.

On March 25, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Whitefield-KR Pura Metro section, covering a distance of 13.7 km, which now has a daily ridership of around 35,000. However, the missing link between KR Pura and Byappanahalli has posed significant hardships to passengers, as they have had to rely on feeder buses. The Byappanahalli-KR Pura section was delayed due to design changes, a PIL against tree felling, and a delay in getting permission from the Indian Railways to cross over the Open Web Girder over the railway track in Benniganahalli.

Civic activism

While the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) approval was granted for the Byappanahalli-KR Pura section on September 25, and clearance for Kengeri – Challaghatta was received on September 30, BMRCL wanted to open both sections together. While the BMRCL had planned to launch both sections on October 6, the inauguration was pushed back due to delays in permissions from the Union and state governments.

Challaghata-Whitefield corridor

"Every progress or milestone of Whitefield Metro was extensively tracked by the citizens, Metro enthusiasts as well as the media, from placing an open web girder to laying tracks, trial runs, safety inspections. Citizens raised their voices through social media and also through hashtag campaigns when there was a delay in opening the section even after the CMRS nod." Zibi Jamal of Whitefield Rising told Moneycontrol.

She said Bengaluru is home to tech-savvy youngsters who are not just expressing their frustration but also coming up with solutions. "The success of the Metro also depends on the last-mile connectivity and feeder connectivity provided by the BMTC," she said.

Hashtag campaign on social media

Frustrated over the delay, active citizens and Metro enthusiasts had launched a hashtag campaign, #StartPurpleLineOperations, on social media, urging the launch of both sections without any inauguration ceremony.

Bangalore Metro Updates, an anonymous handle (@WF_Watcher)
on X, which was instrumental in launching the campaign, told Moneycontrol: "Happiness, relief, ease of commute, time and energy saved. I am sure all these will be ticked off the mental list when people travel from end to end without any interruptions between. It took years for this to become a reality. The pain and delay will be fast forgotten," he said.

Cheers to everyone who actively participated in #StartPurpleLineOperations raising the concern, our time & effort didn’t go waste! I am sure Our voice is heard. #PurpleLine #Bangalore #Whitefield pic.twitter.com/1FhCoj9CRS

— Bangalore Metro Updates (@WF_Watcher) October 8, 2023

"In big infrastructure projects, better coordination is very important to complete on time. Hope some lessons are learned and applied in ongoing lines. So happy for all the passengers who travel from the extreme ends of the city," he said.

The Metro Rail Guy (@TheMetroRailGuy), a blogger who tracks Metro projects across the country, told Moneycontrol: "Historic day. The 'missing' link's opening will have a sweet multiplier effect on ridership as people realign their commute and travel plans. I'm hoping authorities pause and think about what 190 km of metro lines can accomplish compared to the proposed road tunnel project."

Political interventions

Following the public outcry, Bengaluru MPs demanded the opening of the section at the earliest. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said PM Modi has instructed authorities to start services on the Purple Line at the earliest possible date without waiting for a VIP-headlined official ceremony.

Within 2 days of GoK & BMRCL's request to MoHUA, UoI for a formal inauguration date, PM Sri @narendramodi mandates an immediate start to #PurpleLine services, bypassing VIP ceremonies.

Services begin tomorrow!

#CitizenFirstNotVIP https://t.co/gVG7qCt1Fg pic.twitter.com/JDfTGoDToV

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 8, 2023

According to sources, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri was in Abu Dhabi for an official visit, and Surya was in Delhi, and he communicated the delay to Puri. Following this, MoHUA communicated this to the PMO on October 7, who in turn gave the green signal to launch services without any formal inauguration.

MoHUA officials issued a notification on October 8, Sunday (a non-working day) stating that the services should be thrown open to the public from October 9 itself. BMRCL too held a meeting with senior officials to start operations on both sections simultaneously from 5am on October 9. BMRCL formally announced the start timing of operations on the new corridor at 7:20pm.

I had requested on the 5th of October, 2023 to the Government of India for the opening of two sections between KR Puram to Baiyappanahalli and from Kengeri to Challaghatta.

The GoI has responded to inform that the above two sections will be formally dedicated to the nation by…

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) October 8, 2023

Deputy CM and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar said: "In order to provide immediate convenience to the commuters in these two vital missing links of the East-West corridor of BMRCL, we have decided to make the above two sections operational from the 9th of October, 2023".

PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has directed BMRCL to commence services on the new stretches of the #PurpleLine (Challaghatta to Kengeri and Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield), without postponing operations for a formal inauguration ceremony with VIP presence.

Gratitude to PM Modi Ji. pic.twitter.com/lUHipY0E2S

— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) October 8, 2023

Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan said the PM had directed BMRCL to commence services on the new stretches of the Purple Line (Challaghatta to Kengeri and Byappanahalli to Whitefield), without postponing operations for a formal inauguration ceremony with VIP presence.