The Bangalore Metro, christened as “Namma Metro” began operations in October 2011. Since then it has turned into the lifeline for a large number of commuters in Bangalore. With the increase in the floating population of the city this rapid transit rail system has been a boon for the daily commuters facing hardship due to inadequate public transport.
The new-age air-conditioned metro trains have provided commuters the key to a fast, reliable, safe and comfortable journey. The metro system is designed for a maximum train speed of 80 km/hr but the trains are allowed to commercially run at a speed of 67.50 km/hr. These trains provide commuters the much-desired option to reduce their commuting time by a considerable level.
Phase 1 of Namma Metro
The foundation stone for Phase 1 of Bangalore Metro was laid by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on 24th June, 2006. The construction of Phase 1 of Bangalore metro commenced on 15th April, 2007.
Phase 1 of Bangalore Metro is scheduled to cover a distance of 42.3 km and have 40 stations. It consists of two lines. Implementation of Phase 1 has been divided into 4 reaches and 2 underground sections. As per Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Phase 1 will include the following Reaches:
| Reach | Terminals |
|---|---|
| Reach-1 (east) (Purple Line) | Baiyyappanahalli - M.G. Road |
| Underground UG2 (east to west) (Purple Line) | M.G. Road - Magadi Road |
| Reach-2 (west) (Purple Line) | Mysore Road - Magadi Road |
| Reach-3 (north) (Green Line) | Sampige Road - Yeswanthpur |
| Reach-3A (north) (Green Line) | Yeswanthpur - Peenya Industry |
| Reach-3B (north) (Green Line) | Peenya Industry - Nagasandra |
| Underground UG1 (north to south) (Green Line) | Sampige Road - National College |
| Reach-4 (south) (Green Line) | National College - R.V. Road |
| Reach-4A (south) (Green Line) | R.V. Road - Puttenahalli |
At present, only Reach 1 of the East-West Corridor of Phase 1 and Reach 3 & 3a of the North-South corridor of Phase 1 is functional and has been offering commercial services to the public of Bangalore.
Bangalore Metro REACH 1 of Phase 1
Reach 1 of the East-West corridor of Phase 1 connects Baiyappanahalli to Mahatma Gandhi Road. Construction on the stretch of Reach 1 first started in April 2007. Reach 1 opened to commercial services from 20th October, 2011.
The East-West corridor of Phase 1 is slated to cover the following route:
- Baiyappanahalli
- Swami Vivekananda Road
- Indiranagar
- Halasuru
- Trinity
- Mahatma Gandhi Road / MG Road
- Cubbon Park
- Vidhana Soudha
- Sir M. Vishveshwaraya
- Kempegowda
- City Railway Station
- Magadi Road
- Hosahalli
- Vijayanagar
- Attiguppe
- Deepanjalinagar
- Mysore Road
Bangalore Metro REACH 3 & 3a of Phase 1
Reach 3 & 3a of the North-South corridor connects Sampige to Peenya Industry. Construction on the stretch of Reach 3 & 3a of Phase 1 started in 2009-10. Reach 3 & 3a opened to commercial services from 1st March, 2014.
The North-South corridor of Phase 1 is slated to cover the following route:
- Nagasandra
- Dasarahalli
- Jalahalli
- Peenya Industry
- Peenya
- Yeshwantpur Industry
- Yeshwantpur
- Sandal Soap Factory
- Mahalaxmi
- Rajajinagar
- Kuvempu Road
- Srirampura
- Mantri Square Sampige Road
- Majestic
- Kempegowda
- Chickpete
- Krishna Rajendra Market
- National College
- Lalbagh
- Southend Circle
- Jayanagar
- Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Road
- Banashankari
- Jayaprakash Nagar
- Putenahalli
Phase 2 of Namma Metro
The Union cabinet has approved the Phase 2 extension of Namma metro on 30th January, 2014. This has paved the way for the city to have a metro network covering 114 km.
Phase 2 is scheduled to cover a span of 72.095 km. It will have 13.79 km of underground line, 0.48 km at grade and 57.825 km of elevated route. Phase 2 will see the addition of 61 stations to the metro network, out of which 12 stations will be underground.
The construction of Phase 2 is slated to start after the completion of Phase 1 and is expected to be completed by 2017-18. Phase 2 will consist of the extensions of all four reaches of Phase 1 and the addition of 2 new lines.
As per Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Phase 2 will include the following extension of Reaches of Phase 1 and new lines:
| Reach Extension | Terminals |
|---|---|
| Reach-1 (east) Extension (Purple Line) | Baiyyappanahalli - Whitefield |
| Reach-2 (west) Extension (Purple Line) | Mysore Road - Kengeri |
| Reach-3B (north) Extension (Green Line) | Hesaraghatta cross – BIEC |
| Reach-4A (south) Extension (Green Line) | Puttenahalli - Anjanapura |
| Line 3 | R.V. Road - Bommasandra |
| Line 4 | Gottigere - Nagavara |
Bangalore Metro Fares – Affordable for all
- The minimum metro rail fare is Rs. 10
- The maximum fare for the functional Reach 1 stretch is Rs. 17
- The maximum fare for the functional Reach 3 & Reach 3a stretch – Rs. 23
Bangalore Metro Timings – Prompt Service Everyday
- Reach 1 stretch– from 6 am in the morning till 10 pm in the night.
- Reach 3 & Reach 3a-from 6 am in the morning till 11 pm in the night.
- Metro service timings are occasionally extended on festival days.
Metro Frequency – Always on the go
- The Reach 1 stretch has trains running at a frequency of 15 minutes from 6 am to 8 am in the morning and 8 pm to 10 pm in night and with frequency of 10 minutes from 8 am to 8 pm.
- The Reach 3 & Reach 3a stretch is set to have trains running at a frequency of 10 minutes. Depending on the number of travelers the frequency is slated to be increased later.
Metro Facilities – For one and all
The metro rail system in Bangalore is being designed and developed to provide people an easy way to commute. Various facilities are provided to help people to enjoy a safe, fast and hassle-free journey. Some of the facilities offered at the metro stations are:
- Ticket Offices: The Ticket offices or counters are provided with Ticket Office Machines (TOM) that dispenses tokens and smartcards to passengers. Passengers can re-load the smart cards with value or trips at these counters. These ticket offices also accept credit cards and debit cards for re-loading smart cards.
- Automatic Gates: The Automatic gate permits entry to a passenger when a valid ticket (contactless token or smart card) is presented by the passenger at the designated place on the gate.
- Ticket Vending Machine: Automatic Ticket Vending machines are available at MG Road, Indiranagar and Baiyappanahalli stations. These vending machines allow passengers to buy tokens and load value on their smart cards by cash.
- Paid Area / Unpaid: The Stations are divided into paid and unpaid areas. The Automatic gates at the station act as the dividing line between these areas. A passenger enters the paid area through these gates after presenting the ticket at the gates.
- RVCT: A Remaining Value Checking Terminal (RVCT) is installed near Customer Care that helps passengers to know the balance and the previous transactions on their tokens and smart cards.
- Customer Care: The metro rail system provides customer care on the stations to help passengers regarding any problem about their tickets. If passengers face any problem with tickets or any service related to the metros or require assistance regarding malfunctioning of tickets, they may visit the Customer Care at stations for assistance.
- Passenger Information Display Boards: Passenger Information Display Boards are installed near the Automatic gates and on platforms to provide real-time information to passengers about the arrival of trains.
- CCTVs & Escalators: The new and upcoming metro stations are equipped with 50 to 60 surveillance cameras at every station for the safety of the passengers. Apart from this, passenger lifts and escalators are also available for the passengers.
- Wi-Fi: All metro trains are Wi-Fi enabled and so, commuters can use their laptops, tablets and mobile internet.
- Handicapped Facilities: All metro stations have yellow tactile tiles that are used at all stations to guide the visually impaired. The tiles start at the ramp and lead to the lifts and staircases.
It is a fact that the whole metro project will take some more time to be completed and get ready for commercial use. Till then, the operational stretches of the metro are the saviours of thousands of commuters on a daily basis.
Namma Metro Enters Year 8
On 20th October 2011, the first section of the Namma Metro of Bengaluru Metro was inaugurated. Today, as the metro enters its 8th year, it stands as India’s third longest metro system in operation. The metro network serves a total of 41 stations and covers a distance of 42.3 km.
Who uses the metro?
Avarage Number of Users
- Weekdays – 4.1 lakh
- Weekends- 3.5 Lak
On a weekday, about 4.1 lakh people use the metro. A majority of these people are office goers and students. A study showed that the metro has brought down typical office commute time by 11 minutes. On the weekend, this number drops to about 3.5 lakhs per day bringing the daily average to about 3.8 lakhs.
On October 17th 2018, the Namma Metro saw 449,401 commuters. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) that runs the metro is targeting a daily ridership of 5 lakh passengers within the next six months.
What has helped increase ridership?
The introduction of 6 coach trains has been one of the main reasons more people have started using the metro. In fact, this has led to an increase in daily ridership from 3.8 lakh to 4 lakh people. There are currently two six-car trains.
The first six-car train was launched on the purple line in June 2018 and the second in October 2018. A third such train is expected to be launched in the first week of November. 48 more six-car trains will also be introduced by the end of 2019.
The introduction of six-car trains has made it possible to dedicate a separate coach for ladies. This has led to a marked increase in the number of female passengers who now feel more comfortable using the metro.
Issues
Parking around the metro stations is one of the main issue plaguing the Namma Metro. Currently, only a few stations have parking available and this too is limited.
Last mile connectivity is another issue keeping people for using the metro. This refers to getting from the metro to their final destination.
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