The first ride on the Metro Green line between Sampige Road and Peenya was not without glitches on Saturday. The train made its first trip without security guards on board.
Crucial precautions such as checking of bags and frisking passengers at the entry gate were haphazard. While some passengers were frisked, some were let in without any security check.
The security guards at the station were clueless about the first aid measures and fire extinguishers. When questioned, a few guards told Deccan Herald that the BMRCL officials would take care of such issues.
Senior citizens at Sampige Road (Mantri Square) station had a tough time as the escalators were not functioning. They had to climb up/down the stairs.
“It is very difficult to reach the platform in the absence of escalators,” Ramalingam, an exhausted senior citizen, said. The public relations officer at Sampige Road station was unaware that photography at metro stations was permitted for a few days.
Exit gates got stuck for a while at Peenya station and there was a long queue of passengers waiting to go out. A few commuters observed that only the stations at the start and end points were tidied for the occasion. Concerns were also raised about non-availability of parking space near the stations.
Radha Chidambar, a commuter, said, “Considering that there are time constraints to board the train, more counters should be opened to issue tickets. We can also look at having automatic systems instead,” she suggested.
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