Hop in, eat out!

The City is known for its eating joints and interestingly, the six Metro stations in the first phase of the project have a lot of eateries around them — either at the entrance or exit points.

Most people use the Metro for pleasure trips or to visit the Central Business District and business is brisk at these stations, which is why many eating joints have emerged around them.

Conversely, pre-existing restaurants have started to rake in more profit once the Metro service began.

In fact, there are no less than five to six eateries around each station — outlets of large restaurant chains, fast-food joints and even the smaller eateries.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials observe that the Metro has brought about a lot of cultural exchange and socialisation. “The whole idea of the Metro is to save time and offer an economical travel option.

With the Metro, people get more time to spend with their friends and family. We know of people who travel from M G Road to Indiranagar just to eat out or meet their friends,” says B LY Chavan, chief public relations officer, BMRCL.  

Within a kilometre from the Byapannahalli Station are RMZ Infinity, Big Bazaar and Gopalan Mall. CMH Road, where the Indiranagar Metro station is located, has several eateries along the stretch that connects to Indiranagar 80 Feet Road and 100 Feet Road.

 The Swami Vivekananda Station has malls like Lido, 1 M G Road and the Ista Hotel. Trinity Circle has a newly-opened ‘Adigas’ right at the exit gate, in addition to the Caeser’s Restaurant, the small eating joints in Manipal Centre and the The Oberoi.

The Trinity Circle Station connects to Halasuru, where there are a few eateries as well. The M G Road Station too leads to Shelton Grand Hotel and people can walk to Church Street and Brigade Road, which together have more than 200 pubs and restaurants.

The management of these restaurants confess that they have begun to make brisk business after the Metro service started. Even the office-goers and residents around the stations say that the eateries are a relief. 

Stephen, assistant unit manager of Adigas near the Trinity Circle Station, says, “This place is jam-packed for lunch and snacks. Our business has gone up after the Metro station opened. We see people coming in from Byapannahalli to eat.”

Krishna, an employee with Leo Fast Food near the Halasuru Station, says, “We started a year ago and the Metro station has done us a lot of good. Sometimes, people who travel by the Metro hop in for a quick something. The crowd comes in for lunch and after office hours.”

People say that the Metro has given them a chance to explore the eateries across the City. Vaibhav Saini, an employee with a retail company, says, “Earlier, there was no place where we could hop in for a quick something. Now, we come to these new eateries for lunch, snacks and sometimes for dinner as well.”

Surbhi, a working professional, observes, “These eating joints give people the freedom to choose where to eat out. The choice is huge.”

Sowmya, a deputy manager with Axis Bank, says, “The best thing about these eateries near the Metro stations is that you get food that is served hot and if your office is near the station, you don’t have to carry food from home.”