7,500 people take Mysuru Road-Kengeri metro train on Day 1

The Mysuru Road-Kengeri metro line recorded a ridership of about 7,500 on the first day of its commercial operations on Monday, amid confusion over the new software at the automatic fare collection gates.

As per the information shared by officials from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), 7,476 people exited from the six stations of the new extension, taking the overall daily ridership to 1.83 lakh.

Meanwhile, delay in recharging the smart cards and compatibility issues marked the first day of the operations.

“There were some compatibility issues that had to be rectified while recharging problems arose due to the adoption of the latest technology that supports the QR code payment mode. It may take about a week for commuters and staffers to get used to the new system,” a BMRCL source said.

BMRCL apology

Meanwhile, the BMRCL has apologised for not providing information in Kannada on the banners erected during the inauguration ceremony on Sunday.

“All signboards had information in Kannada as well as English. However, the banner on the main stage had information only in English. I received objections from the media and general public. I apologise for the error and will ensure that such errors are not repeated,” the BMRCL chief public relations officer said in a message.

While the gesture was appreciated by many citizens on social media, some noted that the BMRCL has not learnt its lessons despite several protests over the last few years.