Bengaluru Metro rolls out steel barricades to streamline rush-hour chaos

BMRCL has installed steel barricades at three additional metro stations, following earlier installations at two high-footfall stations. Previous Installations: Earlier, barricades were installed at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Interchange at Majestic and RV Road Metro stations, which see some of the highest daily commuter traffic.

Of the four new stations, Indiranagar, KR Pura, and Benniganahalli have received barriers, while MG Road is yet to be equipped, officials confirmed.

Nadaprabhu Kempegowda station sees over 2.5 lakh commuters daily across the four platforms of the Purple and Green lines, making it the busiest station in the city.

RV Road station handles over 55,000 commuters daily. Benniganahalli sees about 48,609 passengers, Indiranagar 42,605, and KR Pura and MG Road around 35,000 daily.

B L Yeshwanth Chavan, BMRCL chief PRO, said, “Barricades were installed for safety and to maintain queues. Depending on requirement, barricades will be installed at other stations too.”

The move follows incidents of individuals attempting to jump onto tracks, some resulting in fatalities, highlighting the need for preventive measures.

Commuters have long demanded PSDs as a stronger safety solution. BMRCL maintains that PSDs weren’t planned for operational lines but may be considered in future phases due to high costs and operational challenges.

The city’s Metro network spans 96 km with 83 operational stations, highlighting the scale of daily commuter management challenges.

Rajneesh T, a commuter, said, “At several stations, there is hardly any space on the platform during peak hours. People struggle to board the train and staff also find it difficult to manage the crowd. The problem is worse at Majestic. Instead of steel barricades, BMRCL should opt for PSDs, which open only after train arrives.”