Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw takes Namma Metro to beat traffic: 'Great ride, thanks BMRCL'

Namma Metro, also known as the Bengaluru Metro, is the rapid transit system that serves the capital of Karnataka.

Bengaluru-based billionaire Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw opted to forgo the comfort of luxury cars and took a ride on the city’s metro system on Tuesday, choosing the Namma Metro’s Purple Line in a bid to escape Bengaluru’s notorious traffic congestion.

The founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Limited documented her journey on social media, sharing her experience on the platform X (formerly Twitter). Shaw appeared impressed by the convenience and speed of the metro and extended her appreciation to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

“Took the purple line from Whitefield to Vidhana with my Namma Metro friend Jennifer Erich, the Iron Lady of Exxon Mobil. Such a quick way to avoid traffic. Great ride. Thanks BMRCL,” Shaw wrote.

Took the purple line from Whitefield to Vidhana with my Namma Metro friend @jennifer_erich the Iron Lady of Exxon Mobil. Such a quick way to avoid traffic. Great ride. Thanks @OfficialBMRCL pic.twitter.com/TOSSU6O2iU
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) May 27, 2025

She was accompanied on the ride by Jennifer Erich, whom she referred to as the “Iron Lady of Exxon Mobil”. According to Erich’s LinkedIn profile, she serves as a Geoscience Manager at the Bengaluru Technology Centre of the American oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil.

Erich responded to Shaw’s post on X, expressing her delight at introducing the billionaire entrepreneur to the metro system. “So happy to be your Metro Mentor!! Thanks so much for joining me at my office today,” she replied.

The post quickly garnered attention, with many social media users praising Shaw’s decision to use public transport. “Great to see famous personalities doing this and sharing — very important to have more people take public transport,” one user commented.

Another post read, “When the affluent, influential, and elite embrace public transport, it catalyses systemic investment and inspires emulation among the masses, dismantling car-centric aspirations and heralding a shift toward sustainable urban mobility.”

Shaw’s metro journey has sparked a wider discussion about the role of public figures in promoting sustainable transport solutions in Indian cities, particularly those like Bengaluru that are plagued by daily traffic gridlocks.

What is Namma Metro?
Namma Metro, also known as the Bengaluru Metro, is the rapid transit system that serves the capital of Karnataka. It is operated by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Karnataka. The system currently operates two lines — the Purple Line and the Green Line.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is not the first billionaire to embrace public transportation in India. In 2023, real estate magnate Niranjan Hiranandani was seen travelling in a Mumbai local train in a similar attempt to “save time and beat the traffic”.