Namma Metro’s Yellow Line sustains 60k ridership despite low frequency

Bengaluru: Since the inauguration of Namma Metro Yellow Line on August 10, the stretch running between RV Road and Bommasandra has been garnering an average daily ridership of 60,000, a well-placed Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) confirmed to DH. 

In the initial days since its launch, the Yellow Line saw a ridership of 50,000 to 58,000, and in the weeks that followed, the ridership saw an uptick, despite the BMRCL operating only three trains every 25 minutes on the Yellow Line. 

“Due to the low frequency, we hadn’t expected such high ridership. After the initial rush, we had expected it to drop down to around half, at 30,000. But commuters seem unfazed by the low frequency. This just goes to show that consumer behaviour can’t always be predicted,” said the senior official. 

The ridership is clearly high on weekdays. The evening rush, usually 20% more than the number of commuters during the morning peak hours, is backing the steady rise in ridership.

“The line is mainly being used by working professionals travelling to Electronics City, Bommasandra and all the places in between. While in the mornings, they might opt for cabs, we’re seeing that towards the evening, people are preferring the metro,” he added. 

The ridership is expected to increase with the addition of the fourth train on the Yellow Line in the next two to three weeks, shared another senior BMRCL official. 

Vehicular traffic comes down

After the inauguration of the Yellow Line traffic along the route has dramatically reduced commuters told DH. An IT professional who travels from Bommasandra to MG Road noticed a 30-minute decrease in travel time.

“Earlier it would take me at least an hour and 45 minutes to get to work. But since the inauguration of Yellow Line traffic on the stretch has gotten much better and it has been taking me only an hour and 10 minutes to get to work” he said.

He added that the reduced travel time has got him picking driving over the metro more often despite the latter being about Rs 300 to Rs 400 cheaper.  Zahra F a resident of Electronics City also noticed similar traffic patterns. “The traffic congestion at the Silk Board junction and Electronics City has come down much especially in the evening” she said. 

Auto drivers in and around the locality said that their ride requests too have shifted.

“Now we mostly only get ride requests for localities that are not connected to the Yellow Line. The IT professionals who would book a ride for a drop back home at the end of the day have now started taking the Metro” said Vinayaka Kumar an auto driver from Banashankari.