Closed entrances irk Bangalore Metro passengers

Express does a reality check on the closed entries at a number of stations on Green Line and Purple Line
People wait outside the Sir M V station in long queues every evening to get in as two entries remain shut here | S Manjunath
People wait outside the Sir M V station in long queues every evening to get in as two entries remain shut here | S Manjunath

BENGALURU: Several entrances at different Metro stations of Phase-I continue to remain closed to the public. While passengers feel there is a clear need to open them up, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation says the present patronage does not warrant the opening up of all the entries.

Express checked a number of stations on the Green Line and Purple Line to understand the reasons behind those ‘closed gates’. Of the stations visited on the North-South Line, Dasarahalli, Peenya Industry and Peenya Metro stations had one entry open while the other entry for all of them on Tumkur Service Road has remained shut. With Metro recently calling for tenders to put in place connectivity between the two sides of the station, it is literally a nightmare for commuters to cross over from one entrance to the other.

A closed entrance at the Cubbon Park Metro
station | JITHENDRA M

“We spend almost 10 minutes during peak hours to cross over to the open side. Why is a fully constructed station kept under lock and key,” asks P Rohini, an accountant in a private firm, who commutes daily from Peenya Industry to the Kempe Gowda Metro station.

However, at Nagasandra station, which is a terminating station, both entries are open. Tutor Satish Kumar, who runs an institute, uses the National College Metro station on and off. “I found the entry shut twice and had to cross over and use the other entry,” he said. When he questioned the staff here, one of them spoke of the lack of security staff.

At the busy K R Market Metro station, three entries are open while two are yet to be opened. Asked about it, BMRCL Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) U A Vasanth Rao, said, “Some civil construction work is still going on at a few entries. The Commissioner of Rail Safety has given the certification to run trains with the entrances that were ready to be opened. It is a very busy and congested place and so carrying out works is a very tough job.” Rao added, “The non-opening of the entries does not affect the public as they can access the station through the other entries.”

Meanwhile, the East-West Corridor fares much better with only the Underground corridor having a problem. Three out of four entries are opened at Cubbon Park which figures on the underground stretch. “One entry on the HAL side has been opened but since the other entry on the same side has poor patronage, we have decided to keep it shut for now,” said an official. Two entries at Sir M Visvesvaraya College are open while two remain closed. The queue here during evening peak hours stretches onto the road (see pic).

BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said, “Metro stations are designed bearing the passenger traffic for the next 50 to 100 years in mind. For the present ridership, the entry gates opened up presently are more than sufficient.” An average of 3.5 lakh commuters use Metro trains daily.
The CPRO added, “When six coaches are introduced and the ridership doubles, then all the entrances will be opened up.”

Another official said that during peak times or occasions like New Year’s Eve or cricket matches, all entrances are opened up. A highly placed source said that BMRCL also wanted to cut down costs. “If all the entrances are opened, more baggage scanners, security staff and home guards would be required. So, they prefer to leave some entrances shut.”

Do not stand wearing backpacks inside coaches, urges BMRCL

Train operators (TOs) working on the Green Line (Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli) have recently begun making announcements urging passengers on board packed trains not to stand inside trains wearing their backpacks. “We have asked TOs to keep urging commuters not to block space inside trains. Whenever they notice a packed coach, they make these announcements using the mike on board,” said a top official. A person wearing a bag on the back almost takes the space that two passengers could occupy, he added.  Security and home guards at the Kempe Gowda Metro station have also been personally requesting passengers queuing up at platforms to do so before
entering the train.

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