BENGALURU: Namma Metro started a short-loop service between MG Road and Mysore Road (Nayandahalii) one-and-a-half months ago. With good patronage, the pilot project is to stay. Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has been experimenting with short-loop services (short-loop trains operate only between two stations with high passenger traffic) ever since the commissioning of Phase-1 last year. While this changes based on passenger traffic, short loops from MG Road to Mysore Road and back, and, Kempegowda and Baiyappanahalli are consistently in high demand.
“We run one short-loop train service per day from MG Road to Mysore Road and it always full with 700 to 800 riders making use of it every day. It starts at 6:15 pm. The short-loop train between Kempegowda and Baiyappanahalli Metro stations, which was introduced in June 2017 and has six services daily, sees 900 commuters one way," says Shankar AS, executive director (operations and maintenance) of BMRCL. He adds that they do not have plans to introduce any other short loop on either the purple or green line as of now.
In August, short-loop services were temporarily employed between RV Road and Sampige Road to clear the build up at Kempegowda Interchange. This aided commuters who were heading to the Lalbagh Metro Station for the flower show.
Benefit of short loop
The logic behind not running the Metro through the entire stretch of the corridor is to reduce rush during peak hours. Some commuters may not travel the whole distance and get off at specifically-busy stations. Transport expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar, says, "For example, a three-coach Metro from Mysore Road to Baiyappanahalli station will have around 600 people aboard, and around 800 passengers waiting to board the metro at Kempegowda station. Since all of them won't be able to make it inside, they have to wait another eight minutes for the next metro."
"In a situation like this, having a short loop from Kempegowda station between two other trains that go end-to-end, will help cut down the rush. It will also increase the frequency of trains, moving almost 2,000 passengers one way, in a short span of eight minutes," Sanjeev explains, adding that a short-loop can also be introduced between Yeshwanthpur/Goraguntepalya and Banashankari/Jayanagar.
This, he says, can help railway passengers getting off at Yeshwanthpur railway station, which is connected to Yeshwanthpur metro station through a foot over bridge.