BENGALURU: Late night commute in the city gets a big boost from the New Year, as the last set of Metro trains will depart at midnight in all directions from the crucial Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Interchange Metro station from January 1, 2020. In the process, the departure of the last train from all the four terminal stations has been extended by 35 minutes.
There will be no change in the start time of 5 am at terminating stations. The move has been given a big thumbs-up both by Metro commuters and transportation experts. BMRCL Managing Director Ajay Seth said that the move has been effected due to three reasons: Demand for longer service hours, safer travel option for women and refinement of BMRCL’s maintenance practices. Chief Public Relations Officer B L Yashvant Chavan said, “It is a long-pending demand from the public.”
According to an official release, this has been effected to facilitate safe travel for citizens. On the Purple Line, these will be the timings at the end stations: Baiyappanahalli 11.35 pm (it is 11 pm presently) and Mysore Road 11.40 pm (11.05 pm now). On the Green Line, these are the new timings: Nagasandra 11.25 pm (10.50 pm now) and Yelachenahalli 11.35 pm (11.05 pm now).
No passengers will be left behind: BMRCL
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has assured that care will be taken to ensure no passengers are left behind at the station. The last train usually waits a little just to ensure that no one misses it, informed a Metro official. On September 6, 2017, a Metro train on the Green Line heading from Kempe Gowda Metro station to Nagasandra left a little earlier and missed taking nearly 20 passengers on board. The train returned and took the passengers too along.
Abdul Aleem, a software engineer, said, “At times when my work gets over late, I end up booking cabs. They turn up late or even cancel sometimes. I have to wait for hours till I get a cab. Now, I can take a Metro train,” he said. “In a dynamic city like Bengaluru, Metro trains should ideally run 24x7,” he added.
Ramya Karthik, a regular commuter, hails the move as ‘a big blessing for women.’ A commuter from Vijayanagar to her firm in Halasuru for work, this software professional feels women in particular will feel emboldened to step out because of this.
“Travel by Metro is much safer than any other mode of public transport. There are people as well as security staff and Metro staff around. I often leave late from office to work. Now, that we have women Metro guards too, this will really make a big difference to the lives of many working women in the city,” she said. Transportation expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar hailed the step “as a great thing and a big improvement by Metro.”