Packed trains, stretched metro: Bengaluru's Yellow Line strains city’s older routes; commuters face peak-hour crunch

BENGALURU: The launch of the Yellow Line a month ago has significantly increased ridership across Namma Metro's network, putting considerable strain on the Purple and Green lines during peak hours. Commuters are left crammed into trains as security personnel rush to push passengers inside to ensure the doors close on time.

Despite the rising demand, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) cannot deploy additional trains on the 77km Purple and Green line networks, which currently operate 57 trains. The root cause is the shared supply chain: both sets of lines depend on rolling stock from the same China-based manufacturer, CRRC.

In Dec 2019, BMRCL signed an agreement with CRRC Nanjing for 126 standard-gauge Metro cars for the Purple and Green lines and 90 cars for Yellow Line. However, because of a combination of factors, including manufacturing and shipping delays, deliveries have been slow.

So far, only four trainsets have been received for the Yellow Line — one prototype from CRRC in China and three through its partner Titagarh Rail Systems. The 19km Yellow Line was launched with just three trainsets operating at 25-minute intervals. The fourth train was inducted on Sept 10, improving frequency to 19 minutes.

A senior BMRCL official said: "Though frequency has improved, waiting times remain high. We are optimally using the available fleet. The line needs at least eight trainsets to run at a 10-minute frequency while also allowing for maintenance. Our focus is on inducting more Yellow Line trains and pushing the supplier accordingly. Delays from the sixth trainset onwards are due to shipping delays from China."

The official added that once Yellow Line reaches eight trainsets, efforts will shift to supplying new trains for the Green and Purple lines. A prototype train for the Purple Line was received in Jan and is currently undergoing tests during non-revenue hours. BMRCL aims to submit the required documentation within a month to seek clearance from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation.

At present, 55 trains operate during peak hours on the Purple and Green lines, with two others kept on standby. Daily, there are 185 trips on Purple Line and 163 on Green Line.

Commuters feel the strain. "After Yellow Line opened, trains are packed during peak hours. By the time the train reaches Yeshwantpur, it's already full. From Majestic to RV Road, there's hardly any space left to stand," said Yogeesh R, a regular user.

Since its launch, the Yellow Line has pushed daily ridership across the network past the 10 lakh mark, underscoring the urgent need for additional trains.