JOIN USBengaluru electric excitement: Thousands throng metro stations to have fresh glimpse of IT corridor
A day after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Whitefield-KR Pura metro line lured a large crowd on Sunday when it opened at 7 am.
Citizens thronged the stations with an almost childlike enthusiasm to view the IT corridor from a different lens.
Passengers excitedly clicked pictures and videos as the train whizzed past scenic Tabebuia rosea blooms amidst tall buildings and offices. The stations themselves wore colour with floral decorations adorning the name boards.
Hoodi resident B K Mishra boarded the metro train with his grandson to glimpse the offices and pink trees from above. “This metro line is a boon to all of us living and working in these areas because it significantly reduces travel time,” he said.
Two siblings were jubilant at the metro line, exclaiming that this “finally makes travelling easier”. “(The metro) makes my daily commute to Mysuru Road from here a little easier,” one of them said.
Ayush, a private firm employee at ITPL, said he was very excited to travel on the day the metro line opened after so long. “My workplace is near Pattandur Agrahara so I have been seeing (this) construction since 2017. It is exciting to finally be able to take a ride in this metro train,” he said.
Ayush was also looking forward to the opening of the ORR-Airport line (Blue Line). “Once it opens, I am sure it will completely change how people travel to and from these parts of the city. It will further reduce dependence on private vehicles,” he said.
Social entrepreneur Vinay Shinde noted that the way the IT parks were connected would immediately solve at least 30-40% of the mobility problem.
“Once the KR Pura-Baiyappanahalli connectivity is established, the percentage will only go higher and it will become much easier to travel,” he added.
“This line will provide increased flexibility for the residents of KR Puram, Whitefield and nearby areas to get to the city,” said Clement Jayakumar, secretary of the citizens’ group Mahadevapura Task Force-Mobility. He added that the newly renamed stations are a delight because they create a sense of local connect among the people.