Last week, Namma Metro clocked 9.17 lakh commuters, marking the highest footfall the network has received in a single day. Commuters, especially on the Purple Line, face challenges of overcrowded and infrequent trains.
The significant surge has resulted in increase in instances of rash behaviour and sexual harassment, say frequent metro riders.
Packed like sardines
Overcrowding has been an issue since October 2023, when the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) opened the stations connecting Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield on the Purple Line. While earlier, the problem was confined to the morning and evening rush hours — 8.30 am to 10 am and 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm respectively — it is now an issue throughout the day.
Vicky (name changed), 35, takes the Purple Line from Peenya to M G Road everyday. She routinely skips several trains before finding one empty enough to board.
“I usually take the metro from M G Road towards Peenya post 6 pm. Between 6 pm and 7.30 pm, I skip at least 2-3 trains before getting into one that is relatively empty. The women’s coaches are no different. Sometimes, I face this at 9 pm too,” she shares.
She says the overcrowding is at its worst at the Majestic station, a nodal station that connects the green and purple lines.
Twenty-five-year old Priya William, often feels suffocated while travelling on the Purple Line.
“The security staff is not aware of their responsibilities. No decorum is followed. They are often found encouraging people, sometimes physically pushing them, to enter the already packed train. It can get extremely claustrophobic. Last Monday, a man pressed up against me and refused to move even by an inch,” she tells Metrolife.
Wandering hands
The problem of overcrowding has also led to an increase in inappropriate behaviour, say commuters.
Preethi G B, who travels for work from Vijayanagar to Whitefield daily, felt helpless after she was sexually harassed onboard. “When the metro is this packed, people boldly let their hands wander. Getting into the women’s coach is not always possible. Last month, when I was returning from work at 7 pm, a man groped me as we reached the Majestic station. I was shocked and before I could turn around, people had already started exiting the coach. I never got to know who it was,” she shares.
Rajesh (name changed) takes the metro thrice a week from M G Road to K R Puram. In June, while heading home, he felt someone grazing their hand against his crotch. “It was an elderly man. I thought it was by accident. But he did it again. When I questioned his behaviour publicly, he got livid and started lecturing me about how homosexuality is not a part of Indian culture,” the 27-year-old recalls. In the past four-five months, Rajesh has also noticed an increase in the number of fights onboard.
Pickpocketing incidents are also on the rise, commuters say. Frequently stolen items include wallets, earphones, and food.
What's the solution?
BMRCL is in the process of adding 21 trains to the Purple Line, the order for which was placed almost three years ago. It is likely that the new set of trains will arrive in 2025. The existing trains have six coaches each. Adding more coaches to the trains would not help, as many of the existing platforms are not wide enough to accommodate extra coaches.
“At first there was a delay due to the pandemic. There are also other uncertainties that are causing further delays. But these extra trains should fix the problem of overcrowding. It’s the only solution,” says a senior BMRCL official.
Ashwin Mahesh, an urban expert, lists out two possible solutions to fix the problem at hand. He believes adding more trains is a temporary solution. “We need a comprehensive transport planning committee. We get special committees when a new project comes up, but that’s no good. There should be a permanent committee that looks into the city’s transport needs and tracks mobility patterns.
Plus, developing the metro in isolation won’t solve Bengaluru’s traffic problems. We also need to improve our bus network. We need decent footpaths, so people can travel by foot. It needs to be a joint effort,” he adds.