Metro's Purple Line grapples with over-crowding, commuters demand immediate solutions

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Metro's Purple Line in Bengaluru is grappling with severe overcrowding, transforming once comfortable rides into stifling ordeals for commuters.

Since the launch of the KR Pura-Byyappanahalli route, the strain is evident, with an average of 6.5 lakh passengers daily in November.

With only 52 trains servicing a 73.81 km stretch, there's no immediate remedy in sight. Platform personnel, including security and home guards, are struggling to manage the surging crowds, hustling to regulate the influx onto trains.

The overcrowding has reached a point where staff members are forced to physically close automatic doors. Scenes of rejection unfold at stations as desperate passengers attempting to board are met with shouts of no space, while those inside the coaches feel the squeeze.

This distressing situation has led some commuters to draw comparisons to crowded bus scenes from the '80s and '90s.

One commuter expressed dismay over the dire conditions, particularly highlighting the plight of women passengers who find no space even in the dedicated coach during peak hours.

A daily commuter from MG Road to Dipanjali Nagar, described the past month's travel as exceedingly arduous.

Similar stories of struggle echo among colleagues navigating routes from Vidhana Soudha to Jayanagar, rushing to switch trains at the Kempegowda Interchange station.

Commuters lament the lack of standing space and the apparent disregard for comfort. Amidst the chaos, a clear plea to the government emerges: reduce the time gap between trains.

The overcrowded conditions have painted a distressing picture for metro travellers, with instances of inconvenience and discomfort becoming an everyday ordeal.