Bengaluru metro: Green signal from govt, entire Purple Line to be opened for public from October 9

The central government approves the immediate operation of Bengaluru's Purple Line metro rail on the Baiyappanahalli - KR Pura and Challaghatta - Kengeri lines, bypassing formal ceremonies. Safety tests by CMRS led to the green signal. IT employees' social media campaign urged swift action.

The central government has given the green signal for the immediate operation of metro rail traffic on the Baiyappanahalli - KR Puram and Challaghatta - Kengeri lines, both part of Bengaluru's Purple Line. They have instructed authorities to begin metro services from October 9 without waiting for any formal or informal government events.

These developments pertain to two railway lines, Baiyappanahalli - KR Pura (2.1 km) and Challaghatta - Kengeri (2.05 km), within the East-West Corridor of Bengaluru's Purple Line. The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) conducted safety tests on September 25th and 30th, leading to the official approval to open these lines for passenger service.

Bengaluru: Commuters rally for Purple Line metro operations with #StartPurpleLineOperations campaign

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister of the state, and Bengaluru Urban Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar, had requested the central government to set a date for the formal inauguration of these routes on September 5. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were expected to be present for the event. Nonetheless, these metro lines are crucial for Bengaluru commuters, providing uninterrupted connectivity from the city's east to west. Hence, the Central Government has directed their immediate commencement on October 9, 2023, without any formal or informal ceremony.

IT employees initiated a social media campaign, urging the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) to begin operations on the Baiyappanahalli-KR Puram metro line. Under the hashtag #StartPurpleLineOperations, thousands of people expressed their dissatisfaction with the BMRCL's inaction. They also tagged the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Prime Minister Modi, demanding the swift start of metro services.