160 feeder bus trips link Baiyappanahalli, KR Pura metro stations

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is running 160 feeder bus services every day between Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura to help passengers using the newly opened Whitefield metro line.

When the KR Pura-Whitefield metro line opened to the public on Sunday, many passengers complained of confusion about feeder buses between the Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura metro stations.

The lack of proper signage and designated bus stops added to the chaos. Many passengers said they were forced to hop on to regular buses that dropped them off midway at the Tin Factory stop. They had to take another bus to reach KR Pura.

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The feeder bus services provide a crucial link between the 13.71-km KR Pura-Whitefield and the 25.66-km Kengeri-Baiyappanahalli lines. They will remain indispensable until the 2.1-km Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura metro line opens in the next few months.

A BMTC official said five feeder bus schedules made 80 trips each way between the Baiyappanahalli and KR Pura metro stations.

On Monday, more than 3,000 people travelled by feeder buses, and the numbers are expected to rise. The one-way fare is Rs 10, the official added.

Fewer passengers on Day 2

Contrary to expectations, the Whitefield metro line saw fewer passengers on Monday than it did on Sunday.

Between 5 am and 9 pm on Monday, 17,846 people travelled on the newly opened line. In contrast, 27,379 people rode the metro between 7 am and 11 pm on Sunday, the first day of commercial operations.

It was hoped that more people would travel by metro on the first week day as offices open. But this was clearly not the case.

The high ridership on the first day has been attributed to public excitement. Ridership is expected to pick up by midweek.