The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) faced significant backlash after announcing a last-minute closure of Green Line operations from Peenya Industry to Nagasandra for signalling tests. The announcement, made on Monday, left hundreds of commuters stranded and frustrated during the peak morning and evening hours on Tuesday.
Trains from Peenya Industry, which began operations at 5 am, saw a surge of passengers boarding at stations like Nagasandra, Jalahalli, and Dasarahalli, causing overcrowding at Peenya Industry station. The queue to enter the station extended onto Tumakuru Main Road, with parking facilities overwhelmed and full.
Rajath, an assistant manager who typically boards his train at Nagasandra, described the chaos. “When I arrived at Peenya Industry around 8 am, I struggled to find parking and faced long delays at security checks. I ended up driving to Peenya to board my train from there,” he told TNIE. He criticized BMRCL for inadequate communication, stating, “There should have been announcements on trains and platforms beforehand.”
Madhusudhan, a student, also experienced the disruptions. “The queue was long, and the baggage scan took ten minutes. BMRCL should have opened both entry gates to manage the crowd better,” he said.
BMRCL officials acknowledged the issue, admitting they were unprepared for the unexpectedly large crowd. “Peenya Industry typically sees low footfalls, but today’s crowd was ten times the usual. We had extra staff, but it was still inadequate,” said a senior official.
The BMRCL explained that the second entry gate could not be opened immediately due to the need for baggage scanners. They assured that by August 23, the next scheduled closure day, additional gates and improved crowd management measures would be in place.
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