BENGALURU: Following the launch of the Challaghatta Metro station on Monday, students who already used the metro services till Kengeri are now using the new station which is right across the station. More students are likely to do so in the coming days, however, the delay on the part of National Highway of India (NHAI) to construct a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) across the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, is forcing these students to risk their safety daily. This station is crucial, and with no bridge, it is a disaster is waiting to happen, particularly during morning peak hours when students rush to reach classes on time.
With the Rajarajeshwari Medical College, ACS College of Engineering, Rajarajeshwari Dental College, SDM Institute of Ayurveda and Hospital, and ICFAI Business School in the vicinity of this Metro station, it is set to become one of the busiest stations.
TNIE interacted with students (names of a few have been changed as requested) had this to tell about the risks involved. Among them was Bindushree, a second year medical college student at RR Medical College. “We understand the risks involved. When there are a group of us waiting together across the road, some vehicles wait and let us go. If not, we have to rush across the road to make it to our classes,” she said.
Savithri, a final year engineering student said, “We used to alight at Kengeri and haggle with the auto driver, and it could cost us anywhere from Rs 50 to Rs 75 for the short ride. With Challaghatta Metro station right in front of our college, it is saving us time and effort. Of course, it would help to have something to facilitate the cross over. Now, we run across the road with watchful eyes and ears, as vehicles simply refuse to stop to allow us to walk.” Similar views were echoed by a few others.
NHAI Regional Officer VP Bilas Brahmankar said, “There is a plan to have an FOB just 200 metres away from the Metro station. The Detailed Project Report for it is under way.”
A top BMRCL official said the FOB was only a matter of a few crores. “We are ready to build it quickly if it is handed over to us.”
6.5L METRO PASSENGERS BY 10 PM ON TUESDAY
In a clear indication of the new Metro line taking off, the ridership figure in Bengaluru Metro on the second day after the launch stood at 6, 35,265 upto 9 pm. The Purple Line (Whitefield Kadugodi- Challaghatta) was 3,72,344 while the Green Line (Nagasandra-Silk Institute) had 2,62,921 riders. The Whitefield to Baiyappanahalli (Reach-1E) alone had 68,399 commuters. It is set to cross 7 lakh commuters by tonight. BMRCL had recorded 6,80,894 riders until closure of operational hours on Monday with 61, 179 on Reach 1E.