Metro Extension Service On Purple Line Begins

Residents of Bengaluru celebrated the long-awaited inauguration of two new sections of the city's metro system, bringing Whitefield closer to the Central Business District (CBD) and beyond. The purple line Metro extension service commenced operations between KR Pura and Baiyappanahalli, providing a vital link to the tech hub of Whitefield and the CBD. The Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura section, which cost Rs 363.48 crore to build, bridges a significant gap in the purple line's coverage. Prof. Rajeev Gowda, Vice-Chairman of the State Institute for Transformation of Karnataka and a member of the Brand Bengaluru committee, expressed his enthusiasm for the new service. He noted that it not only extends the purple line but also connects to the green line at Majestic. This connection allows commuters to travel seamlessly from Silk Institute to Whitefield. To further facilitate public transport use, the state government has introduced Metro feeder bus services, with plans to add more buses in the coming days. During peak hours, the trains will operate at 5-minute intervals, and loop services from Whitefield will begin shortly. Srinivas Alavilli, a citizen activist and co-founder of Citizens for Bengaluru, emphasized the positive impact of the Metro extension. He believes that public transport is the solution to Bengaluru's traffic congestion and that the Metro's speed and reliability will encourage many to choose it, reducing traffic on the city's roads. To promote this shift, a personal to public campaign will encourage people to use public transport for at least two days a week. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) had confirmed the opening of the two new Purple Line sections on October 9. One section connects Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura (2.1 km), while the other connects Kengeri-Challaghatta (2.05 km).

Launched Without Ceremony

The entire purple line was launched without any formal program. Metro trains have been plying on the entire purple line since Monday morning as the central government has instructed that the metro service should start on this route from Monday itself. A few days ago, the Metro Rail Safety Commissioner had approved the 2.10 km metro line between Baiyyappanahalli and KRpura and the 2.05 km metro line from Kengeri to Challaghat.