Bengaluru commuters’ wait has finally ended with the commencement of operations of metro services from Baiyapanahalli to KR Puram and Kengri to Challaghatta on the Purple Line on Monday. Without any formal inauguration, the operations on the two sections of the Purple Line started yesterday at 5 am.
BMRCL’s operational network expands
With the introduction of the new services, the whole East-West corridor, the Purple Line from Whitefield (Kadugodi) to Challaghatta, will be complete with a total length of 43.49 kilometres with 37 metro stations, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said. BMRCL’s operational network will increase from 69.66 kilometres to 73.81 kilometres with 66 metro stations.
Announcing the start of operations, the BMRCL said, “BMRCL wishes to inform the public regarding the opening of passenger services on the two sections between Krishnarajapura and Baiyappanahalli, a distance of 2.10 km with one station in between at Benniganahalli and the other beyond Kengeri to Challaghatta a distance of 2.05 km with effect from October 9.”
The operational headway on East-West Corridor will be from Whitefield (Kadugodi) to Patandur Agrahara (10 minutes), Patandur Agrahara to Mysore Road (5 minutes), Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station – Majestic to MG Road (3 minutes) during morning peak hours, Mysore Road to Challaghatta (10 minutes), a PTI report said citing BMRCL.
The last train from Whitefield will depart at 10:45 pm and the rest of the terminal stations will see the last train leave at 11:05 pm.
Earlier, the BMRCL started running additional trips on a trial basis between Nadaprabhu Kempegowda station and Mahatma Gandhi Road metro stations on weekdays starting September 1. Announcing the start of the services, BMRCL said the trips were brought in to add to the convenience of the commuters during morning peak hours between the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda station and Mahatma Gandhi Road metro stations.
(With PTI inputs)