Published Oct 08, 2023 | 9:37 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 09, 2023 | 10:51 AM
Namma Metro new line fully operational. (Supplied)
As Namma Metro’s Purple line became fully operational on the morning of Monday, 9 October, hundreds of Bengaluru commuters, especially IT employees commuting towards Whitfield, were exuberant as they could travel without worrying about traffic jams from now onwards.
The much-awaited Biayappanahalli-KR Pura and Kengeri-Challaghatta metro operations kick-started without any formal or informal inauguration.
Several commuters have expressed joy over the start of the metro service from Whitfield to Challaghatta. The purple line connects East and West Bengaluru.
In his post on X, IT employee Nithin R B pointed: “Reached office today in just 45 minutes, in usual traffic, it used to take 2.30 hours (sic).”
⚡️I am done with my first ride of 42.17 KM. Awesome 😍
•Started at #Whitefield : 7:16 AM
•Arrived BYPL at 7:44
•MG Road 7:55
•Majestic 8:04
•Kengeri 8:32
•Challaghatta 8:36Total journey time: 80 min
Total Fare: ₹57•How’s your ride going on! Share your experience here pic.twitter.com/FlSQltPjmu
— Bangalore Metro Updates (@WF_Watcher) October 9, 2023
The two sections of the East-West corridor — 2.1 km between Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura, and 2.05 km between Kengeri and Challaghatta — became operational from Monday.
The inaugural train of Namma Metro’s new line fully operational purple line. (Supplied)
With this, the 42.85-km Purple Line will be the first Metro rail route in Bengaluru is fully operational.
These two routes became operational without any formal or informal official inaugural event, claimed officials at the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
On 5 October, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar wrote a letter to Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri seeking his nod for opening the two sections.
In reply, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Undersecretary Ravi Choudhary penned a letter to Karnataka’s Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Rakesh Singh regarding commissioning the sections from Monday.
“The aforementioned two sections will be formally dedicated to the nation by the prime minister within two weeks’ time in the presence of the Karnataka chief minister,” it said.
The netizens expressed joy after the BMRCL confirmed the operations between the two sections from Monday.
According to the BMRCL, the Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura section has been developed at a project cost of ₹190 crore, while the Kengeri-Challaghatta section has been developed at a cost of ₹139.71 crore.
The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) successfully conducted a safety inspection on the Baiyappanahalli-KR Puram section on 21 September.
After the inspection, the CMRS was sanctioned for passenger operations between two sections in the last week of September.
Given the massive traffic jams that the Outer Ring Road (ORR) often sees, people ran a campaign on social media platforms demanding that the Karnataka government commission the much-awaited Baiyappanahalli-KR Puram section of the Metro.
In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Shivakumar said: “I had requested on the 5th of October, 2023 to the Government of India for the opening of two section between KR Puram to Baiyappanhalli and from Kengeri to Challaghatta.”
I had requested on the 5th of October, 2023 to the Government of India for the opening of two sections between KR Puram to Baiyappanahalli and from Kengeri to Challaghatta.
The GoI has responded to inform that the above two sections will be formally dedicated to the nation by…
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) October 8, 2023
He added: “The Government of India has responded to inform that the above two sections will be formally dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Karnataka within two weeks of time.”
He also said: “In order to provide immediate convenience to the commuters in these two vital missing links of the East-West corridor of BMRCL, we have decided to make the above two sections operations from 9 October, 2023,” announced the Deputy CM.
With the commissioning of the KR Puram-Baiyappanahalli route, traffic jams on the ORR are expected to see significant easing.
Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Undersecretary Ravi Choudhary, in his letter to Karnataka ACS Rakesh Singh giving a green signal for the commissioning of the two sections, also said: “These two sections are vital from the perspective of commuters of Bengaluru as both the sections will provide seamless connectivity from the East to West part of the Bengaluru City.”
He added: “These two sections of the Metro line should be opened for passenger service immediately on 9 October, without any formal or informal official function so that daily commuters get immediate benefit from the opening of these two important sections.”
In his post on X, Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan said: “From 9 October 9, 2023, the Bengaluru Metro’s purple line will operate fully, without any formal or informal official event.”
From October 9, 2023, the Bengaluru Metro’s #PurpleLine will operate fully, without any formal or informal official event. pic.twitter.com/bY8OJbPmeF
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) October 8, 2023
He added: “PM Narendra Modi has directed BMRCL to commence services on the new stretches of the Purple line, without postponing operations for a formal inauguration ceremony with VIP presence.”
He also hit out at the Congress government in Karnataka for delaying in seeking approval from the Union government on commissioning these two sections despite the CMRS giving clearance on 25 September.
