Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line services disrupted as passengers block first train, demand 5am start like Green & Purple Lines

Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra) services were disrupted on November 17 when around 15 passengers blocked the departure of the first train at RV Road Metro Station.

Sources told Moneycontrol that the passengers, who were interchanging from Green Line, expressed their frustration by preventing the train doors from closing. They argued that while Purple and Green Lines start operations at 5am, Yellow Line only begins at 6am.

“Services could start only after police arrived at the station and removed the passengers,” a source said.

As a result, the train scheduled to depart at 6 am left at 6:35am, causing delays for all subsequent services. To stabilise operations, one train was short-looped from Central Silk Board towards Bommasandra.

BMRCL officials said the disruption inconvenienced many commuters, and a formal complaint has been filed with Jayanagar Police Station against the passengers involved.

FIR registered at Jayanagar police station states: “A group of 15 unidentified passengers placed their feet on the train doors to prevent them from closing. Despite repeated instructions to vacate, they continued to block the doors, preventing the train from departing and causing inconvenience to other passengers.”

In a statement, BMRCL said: "On the morning of November 17, a group of people deliberately blocked the departure of the first train on the Yellow Line at RV Road Metro Station. The train left at 6:35 am instead of the scheduled 6 am, causing delays to all following trains. To stabilise services, one train had to be short-looped at Central Silk Board. Such actions inconvenience many passengers and affect the safety and smooth functioning of metro operations."

The statement added that, under the Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, such disruptions can result in imprisonment, fines, or both.

From November 1, with the addition of the fifth trainset, the Yellow Line start time was advanced from 6:30 am to 6 am, and peak-hour frequency improved with headways reduced from 19 minutes to 15 minutes. Service is expected to improve further as more trainsets are introduced in the coming months.

BMRCL stated its commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient metro services, noting that 100 percent of Yellow Line trains are currently in use during peak hours to support commuters, even without a spare train.

"BMRCL requests all passengers to cooperate to help maintain smooth metro operations. We remain dedicated to improving passenger experience and ensuring dependable service across the network. We continue to welcome constructive feedback and are open to considering all feasible suggestions," the statement adds.