Whitefield line boosts Bengaluru Metro's average daily ridership by 80K; cuts traffic congestion by 14%

Shortage of trains remains a cause for concern, as six-coach trains are running at full capacity, resulting in long queues and overcrowding at stations.

Thanks to the commissioning of Bengaluru’s entire 43-km Purple Line, linking Whitefield in the east to Challaghatta in the west, average daily ridership on the Namma Metro has increased by 80,000, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

BMRCL Managing Director Anjum Parwez told Moneycontrol that the 2.1 km Byappanahalli–KR Pura and 2.05 km Kengeri–Challaghatta sections, which became operational on October 9, have received an overwhelming response from passengers.

“The daily ridership has now increased by 80,000. Our daily ridership consistently reaches 7 lakh,” said Parwez.

BMRCL records accessed by Moneycontrol reveal that the Metro’s daily boarding increased from 5 lakh on October 2 to 6.80 lakh on October 9; 7.50 lakh on October 13; and 7.26 lakh on October 18. In the KR Pura–Whitefield section, daily boarding increased from 21,297 on October 1 to 61,179 on October 9; 80,080 on October 11; and 79,235 on October 18.

The two Metro sections were opened for passenger services on October 9 in response to citizen pressure and an online campaign . Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially dedicated these two sections to the nation on October 20 in the presence of the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Modi virtually inaugurated this section along with the priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor at Sahibabad RapidX station.

On October 20, Namma Metro celebrated its 12th anniversary—its first operational stretch was inaugurated in 2011, connecting MG Road to Byappanahalli (6.7 km).

Also, read: Bengaluru Metro's busiest stations revealed; rolling stock shortage affects service frequency

BMRCL is expected to see a surge in ridership on October 20, possibly due to weekend travel and the Australia-Pakistan World Cup cricket match. The highest-ever daily ridership recorded by the Metro was 8.2 lakh on August 15, 2022, during a Congress rally at the National College Grounds in Basavanagudi and the Lalbagh flower show. The Congress had purchased around 1 lakh Metro passes during that rally.

Parwez said that daily ridership is expected to touch the 8 lakh mark, but the average daily ridership will likely remain around 7-7.5 lakh for now. “Metro connectivity to Whitefield has significantly increased daily ridership. Metro is now the cheapest, fastest, and most environmentally friendly mode in the city,” he said.

On March 25, Modi inaugurated the Whitefield-KR Pura Metro section, covering a distance of 13.7 km. However, the missing link between KR Pura and Byappanahalli has posed significant hardships to passengers, as they have had to rely on feeder buses to reach the station.

Also, read: First-person account: A 43-km Metro ride from Bengaluru’s tech hub Whitefield for Rs 60 

Bengaluru Metro’s Purple Line now spans 43.49 km (37 Metro stations), connecting Challaghatta in West Bengaluru to Whitefield (Kadugodi) in East Bengaluru. The entire Bengaluru Metro network covers 73.81 km with 66 Metro stations, making it the second-largest metro system in India after Delhi Metro’s 350.2 km.

Also Read: At 6 km/year, Namma Metro on super slo-mo track

The journey from Challaghatta in West Bengaluru to Whitefield in East Bengaluru is estimated to take around 82 minutes by Metro, with the end-to-end journey fare fixed at Rs 60.

Congestion on Metro corridor down 12-14 percent during peak hours: Bengaluru traffic police

Traffic congestion on the Metro corridor has decreased by 12-14 percent during peak hours, especially on Old Madras Road, ever since the Byappanahalli–KR Pura section began operations on October 9. Joint commissioner of police (Bengaluru traffic) MN Anucheth told Moneycontrol that there has been a 12-14 percent reduction in traffic during peak hours at Byappanahalli, Benniganahalli/Tin Factory, and Hoodi.

“But traffic conditions post-October 25 will give a more accurate picture. Currently, with schools closed for puja holidays and many expats leaving the city for festivals, traffic is less on major roads. It is unclear whether car owners are shifting to the Metro. Some studies in Delhi indicate that many two-wheeler riders have made the switch to the Metro there. We want more car owners to shift to Metro. But those residing within a 1-2 km radius of Metro corridors are more likely to use the Metro” he said.

Also, read: Corporate honchos take a bus ride on Bengaluru’s tech corridor Outer Ring Road 

Anucheth said there is a traffic bottleneck in front of KR Pura railway station because thousands of rail passengers are crossing the road between the railway and Metro stations. "We have asked the BMRCL to expedite the Foot Over Bridge connecting the railway and Metro stations, but they said they can complete the work once the concourse level work of the Blue Line (Central Silk Board - KR Pura - Kempegowda International Airport) is completed next year".

Shortage of rolling stock

Shortage of trains remains a cause for concern, as six-coach trains are running at full capacity, resulting in long queues and overcrowding at stations.

BMRCL is currently operating train services every 10 minutes from Whitefield to Pattandur Agrahara. Short-loop services run from Patandur Agrahara to Mysuru Road every five minutes, from Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station (Majestic) to MG Road every three minutes during morning peak hours, and from Mysuru Road to Challaghatta every 10 minutes.

The shortage of rolling stock is preventing BMRCL from increasing the frequency of train services. While the Delhi Metro operates eight-coach trains, Bengaluru’s stations and platforms are designed for six-coach trains. Bengaluru Metro’s average platform length is 135 metres, sufficient for six coach-trains but not more, as each coach is 22 metres long.

To maintain a healthy frequency of three to four minutes, experts have suggested that BMRCL should have one train per kilometre. In Phase 1, BMRCL had 50 trains for 45 km, but despite the total network length increasing to 73 km it has only 57 trains currently. Of the 57 trains, 33 have been allocated to the Purple Line and 24 to the Green Line. Five trains are kept in maintenance, leaving the Metro with 52 trains, 30 on the Purple Line and 22 on the Green Line.

Also, read: First batch of Metro trains for Bengaluru’s Electronics City to be shipped from China on October 18: Titagarh 

In December 2019, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Nanjing Puzhen Co. Ltd. was awarded the contract to supply 216 coaches, with delivery to BMRCL expected within 173 weeks. Of these coaches, 126 (equivalent to 21 six-coach trains) will be deployed on the Purple and Green lines, while the remaining 90 coaches (15 six-coach trains) are designated for the under-construction Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra).

However, not a single train set from the order has reached Bengaluru so far, with delays due to challenges faced by CRRC in identifying a local manufacturer to meet the 75 percent local production requirement under the Make in India initiative. Factors such as Covid-19, foreign direct investment policies, and trade restrictions with China have also contributed to the delay.

Subsequently, CRRC partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail to manufacture and supply the coaches. The first two metro trains from CRRC are expected to be shipped from China by the month-end and are expected to arrive in Bengaluru within a month.

Parwez said new trains from CRRC-Titagarh will first be inducted on the Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra) and then on the Purple and Green Lines. “We are now operating short-loop services between stations with the highest footfall. We will get the first prototype from CRRC next month, which will be tested and approved. Following this, Titagarh is expected to deliver three to four trains per month,” said Parwez.

VIP travel in Metro

Many VIPs have been using Namma Metro for their commutes in recent days.

Namma Metro - A Journey of Convenience and Joy

In tech-savvy urban transport, Bangalore's metro plays a pivotal role as the city makes remarkable strides.
Our government is dedicated to expanding the metro network ensuring convenient and efficient transportation for our… pic.twitter.com/Ud946Qm3ci

— M B Patil (@MBPatil) October 18, 2023

Today, I opted for the Purple Line for my work commute and it was a great ride.

- A 30-40 minute ride from Vidhana Soudha to Whitefield.
- An hour spent at the event.
- Back to the office for a Cabinet meeting.

Additionally, a couple of wonderful conversations onboard helped.… pic.twitter.com/vkMkm0Ak9p

— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 19, 2023

Karnataka’s large and medium Industries minister MB Patil and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge both travelled on the Metro to experience the service and interact with commuters.