Metro passengers in Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata will need to check special travel arrangements before stepping out on Independence Day, August 15, 2026, as authorities have announced early services, a temporary closure and line-specific changes.

Delhi Metro will commence services at 4 am, whereas Bengaluru’s Dr BR Ambedkar Station, Vidhana Soudha, will continue to be closed for passenger entry and exit for 11.5 hours. Kolkata Metro will provide modified services, with no services on the Orange Line.

Delhi Metro passengers: Services to commence at 4 am

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in a post on X, stated Metro services will start at 4 am from all terminal stations across its network to facilitate travel for special guests, invitees and the general public attending the Independence Day celebrations.

“Metro services will operate at a 30-minute frequency on all lines” until regular services commence, DMRC added.

ALSO READ

As per the official statement shared by the DMRC, trains will operate every 30 minutes until 6 am, following which regular services will resume as per the scheduled timetable.

Passengers heading to the Independence Day celebration venue should note that Lal Quila, Delhi Gate and Jama Masjid are the nearest Metro stations.

Attending the celebrations? Special QR tickets for invitees

DMRC has supplied 1.30 lakh special pre-vended QR tickets to the Ministry of Defence for Special Guests and bona fide invitees.

Invitees holding valid physical admit cards issued by the Ministry of Defence will also be provided special pre-vended QR tickets at designated Metro stations. The cost of journeys made using these tickets will be reimbursed to DMRC by the Ministry.

Bengaluru commuters: Avoid Vidhana Soudha station from 10 am

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), in a post on X, announced the “temporary closure of Dr. B R Ambedkar (Vidhana Soudha) on 15.08.2026.”

ALSO READ

As per the official statement shared by BMRCL, passenger entry and exit at the station will completely restricted from 10 a to 9:30 pm in view of the Independence Day programme at Vidhana Soudha and related security arrangements.

Metro services on the corridor will, however, continue to provide services. Trains will pass through Vidhana Soudha station during the restriction period without stopping.

Which Bengaluru stations can passengers use instead?

Passengers travelling to or from the Vidhana Soudha area during the restriction period can use Cubbon Park Metro Station or Sir M. Visvesvaraya Station, Central College as alternatives.

From 9:30 pm, passengers attending the programme will be allowed to enter Vidhana Soudha station for their return journeys. Exit will remain available until 10 pm, as per the BMRCL advisory.

BMRCL has advised passengers to plan their journeys accordingly and cooperate with the temporary arrangements.

Kolkata Metro: Check line-wise services before travelling

Similarly, Metro Railway, Kolkata, in an official statement, announced modified Independence Day services.

The Blue Line will operate 194 services, 97 UP and 97 DN, whereas the Green Line will have 148 services, 74 UP and 74 DN. First and last Metro timings on both lines will remain unchanged.

Yellow, Purple or Orange Line? Here’s what changes

The Yellow Line will operate its normal 92 services, 46 UP and 46 DN. However, passengers should note that four direct services from Jai Hind Bimanbandar to Sahid Khudiram will be available instead of five. There will no changes in first and last train timings.

Normal Metro services will be available on the Purple Line

The biggest restriction is for Orange Line passengers, as no Metro services will be available on the corridor on August 15.  

Passengers across the three cities should factor these changes into their Independence Day travel plans, specially those travelling early in Delhi, through Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru or on Kolkata’s Orange Line.