Namma metro not to run between Peenya Industry and Nagasandra from January 26 to 28

Disruption necessary to carry out electrical works from Nagasandra to Madavara, says Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited.

Bengaluru: Metro train services will not be available between Peenya Industry and Nagasandra this weekend, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said on Wednesday.

Trains on the Green Line will run only between Silk Institute and Peenya Industry on January 26, 27 and 28 to facilitate electrical works related to the extension of the line from Nagasandra and Madavara, the BMRCL said in a statement.

Train services between Peenya Industry and Nagasandra will resume at 5 am on January 29, it added.

The disruption will affect passengers travelling to Jalahalli, Dasarahalli and Nagasandra metro stations.

There will be no change in the train operations on the Purple Line, which runs from Challaghatta to Whitefield (Kadugodi).

The BMRCL asked passengers to buy QR tickets on WhatsApp or the Namma Metro app, saying large crowds are expected at Peenya Industry and Goraguntepalya metro stations on the three days.

A BMRCL official said that the disruption was necessary because of a power block to carry out electrical works on the metro track.

A S Shankar, Executive Director (Operations and Maintenance), BMRCL, said works were necessary to energise the track from Nagasandra to Madavara.

Anticipating large crowds at the Peenya Industry metro station on those three days, the BMRCL will open six more ticket counters, five more AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gates and one more entrance that has been closed so far, Shankar said.

"We expect a surge in ridership at the weekend because of the flower show at Lalbagh. We'll optimise our operations to minimise inconvenience to the public," he told DH.

The 30.32-km Green Line currently runs from Silk Institute in the south to Nagasandra in the north. The BMRCL is extending it by 3.14 km to Madavara, near the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). The extended line will have three stations: Manjunath Nagar, Chikkabidarakallu and Madavara.

While the civil work on the extended line is 99.07 per cent complete, there is still some way to go for track-laying works. Per the BMRCL's January 2024 newsletter, track-plinth casting is 43.83 per cent complete. Track-laying can be completed only after the plinth has been cast, another senior official said.

Madavara metro by July/Aug

Given the pace of work, trial runs between Nagasandra and Madavara are still some months away. The BMRCL is looking at opening the extension by July/August, the official said.

Paper tickets for R-Day flower show

Namma Metro will issue paper tickets on Republic Day to help people attending the flower show at Lalbagh.

The fare from the Lalbagh metro station to any metro station on January 26 (10 am to 8 pm) will be a flat Rs 30. The paper ticket will be valid only for the day of purchase and will be issued at all metro stations from 8 am to 6 pm. At the Lalbagh station, the paper tickets will be available up to 8 pm.

Passengers need to produce paper tickets to enter the Lalbagh station and return them while leaving the destination station. While travelling to the Lalbagh station, passengers need to use tokens, smart cards, QR tickets or National Common Mobility Cards (NCMCs).