BENGALURU: The opening of Metro Yellow Line has brought relief to commuters on Hosur Road, one of the city’s most congested stretches, to some extent. An analysis found that overall traffic congestion dropped by 10% following the Metro line’s launch.
According to a study conducted by ASTRAM (Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management) of the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), traffic congestion on Hosur Road (11.5 km from Central Silk Board to Delta Electronics Bommasandra metro stations) dropped by 10% on August 11, the first day of Yellow line’s commercial operations, compared to average Mondays.
The most significant relief was during evening peak hours (4 pm–9 pm), with a 32% (21 km from RV Road to Delta Electronics Bommasandra stations) reduction, as many commuters opted for the Metro while returning from work instead of while going to office. Morning traffic (7-11 am) showed a modest 22% drop on August 12.
DCP (Traffic-South) Gopal M Byakod said, “On average, traffic congestion along Yellow Line on Hosur Road has reduced by 10% after the metro began operations.”
‘Evening congestion has reduced’
“Once the metro frequency increases, congestion can be reduced further. We had expected around a 20% reduction, but it is currently at 10%. Increased frequency and better feeder bus connectivity to companies will help, as some commuters are still preferring private vehicles due to lack of last-mile connectivity,” Byakod said. He added that the study would be conducted again in the coming days to assess further reductions. “Evening traffic congestion has reduced, which may be because office-goers are still using cabs, autos in the morning, but while returning, they are preferring the Metro,” he said.
Another officer said that Yellow Line has already eased pressure on Hosur Road. The line directly serves thousands of daily commuters working in Electronics City and surrounding industrial areas, many of whom previously relied heavily on Hosur Road. The officer added that the metro’s impact on congestion is likely to grow as more commuters adapt to the new line. “Commuters often take a few weeks to switch travel modes. The initial drop is encouraging, and with proper last-mile connectivity and frequent services, the metro can significantly reduce road traffic,” the officer added.
Currently, 12 Metro feeder buses are operating.