BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s Metro Rail commuters are an excited lot ahead of the launch of Metro’s six-coach train starting run this week. Railway Board’s official letter of clearance to run the longer train on the Purple Line — the East-West line from Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Road — is expected to reach Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Monday. Although a date is yet to be fixed, BMRCL managing director Mahendra Jain had told TNIE, that once the Railway Boards official clearance is received on Monday, the BMRCL would be in a position to run the six-coach train any time this week.
The regular commuters, already a little sick of the rush at Namma Metro platforms due to increasing demand for Metro Rail for commuting across the city, are a much-relieved lot in anticipation for the launch.“This comes as a boon for all of us who use Metro during peak hours,” Kumar L, a regular commuter, said. The six-coach train will ensure a carrying capacity of 1,950 commuters on each trip.
Jyoti Daral, a senior business official from Uttar Pradesh, working in a private marketing company, said, “Metro has become the first choice for Bengalureans. I feel that even six coaches may soon be insufficient. We may need at least nine coaches per train.”
Shreesha Prabhu, a software engineer, says. “It will help manage crowds during peak hours, from 9 am to 11 am when college students, employees and workers all rush in at same time. It will thin crowd at the stations significantly,” he said.