Metro Rail News Online

Bengaluru: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday flagged off the second six coach metro train at Kempegowda metro station in Bengaluru. The long-delayed foot-over bridge, which connects metro station and KSRTC bus stand in Majestic, was also thrown open for public use. “The six-coach train has a carrying capacity of over 2,000 passengers at a time. We will operate it on the busy East-West Corridor (Baiyappanahalli - Mysuru road),” BMRCL MD Ajay Seth told reporters. He said over 19,000 passe. The six-coach train has a carrying capacity of over 2,000 passengers at a time. We will operate it on the busy East-West Corridor (Baiyappanahalli - Mysuru road),” BMRCL MD Ajay Seth told reporters. He said over 19,000 passengers use services on the East-West between 9.30am and 10.30am but the North-South Corridor (Nagasandra - Yelechenahalli) records a ridership of only 8,000. The BMRCL, Seth said, would introduce the third set of six-coach trains in October-end. The City r...

BENGALURU: Namma Metro’s connectivity from Byappanahalli to Whitefield will reduce peak hour travel time by 21% for commuters between Bagmane Tech Park and Kadugodi, reveals an Uber survey on Tuesday. Uber’s free urban planning tool, ‘Movement’ has launched in Bengaluru after Delhi and Mumbai. In a study ‘Examining the impact of Metro on travel times in Bengaluru: Byappanahalli- Whitefield extension’ based on the data to calculate the impact of the eastern expansion of the Purple Line. Comparing peak travel times from Bagmane Tech Park in Byappanahalli to Kadugodi in Whitefield between January- March 2017 and January - March 2018. The study points to a 13.5 % increase in the morning peak travel time and a higher increase of 16.4% during evening peak travel time between the two periods. The study has found a significant difference in the peak travel during weekdays compared to weekends, with weekday morning travel time being 57% more than the weekend....

Bengaluru: A commuter travelling in Bangalore Metro had a rather bizarre experience. A security staff member stationed at Lalbaugh Metro Station demanded a senior IT manger to speak in Hindi with him. This was a rather ‘rude behaviour’ which caught the commuter off-guard. The incident took place when a senior manager from well-known IT firm was travelling in metro. He was not very happy when a security staff member put up unruly demand. The agitated commuters logged a complaint with customer care and ticketing staff as well. Going a step further he also conveyed the incident to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) top officials. As per the commuters, Prakash (name withheld on request) was rushing towards the metro station during rains. He was to take a train and escape from the rains. Prakash asked the security guard at the station regarding elevator. The staff in turn ordered him to only speak with him in Hindi. The demand took the traveller by surprise. This inci...

Bangalore: There was a lot of buzz on the Rangoli Metro Art Center on Saturday. The Bangalore metro officials planned interesting activities on International Literacy Day. As part of the celebration, using medium of art and Kannada was used to celebrate the day. As per the United Nations website - International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, is an opportunity for Governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the world"s remaining literacy challenges. The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN"s Sustainable Development Goals and the UN"s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In keeping with the spirit of Literacy, various programs are held across the globe. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) joined in the celebration by incorporating elements of art and language. Many commuters participated in various activities planned by Metro officials. Commuters came in large n...

Bengaluru: The ambitious plan to starting Ultra High-Speed Maglev Rail link project is shelved. This was planned for between city’s Cubbon Park and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The authorities will now concentrate on linking the two areas with metro and sub-urban rail. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) will take care of the project. They will work towards enhancing connectivity between the two locations, especially airport. This news was reported by Deccan Herald earlier. Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Mahendra Jain informs that BMRCL will be handed over the project; the responsibilities to be transferred from Bangalore Airport Rail Link (BARL) soon. Jain also made it clear that they are shelving the high-speed rail project as of now. BARL was incorporated in 2008 for the ultra high-speed rail project. A detailed project report (DPR) was submitted wherein it was proposed to build the rail network. The DPR was prepared by Swiss comp...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) plans to set up automated top-up machines at key places in the city. This moves comes in wake of customers complain regarding long queues at to-up travel card counter. To ease the problem, BMRCL plans to have top-up machines at various places including bus stops. Based on the current data, 60 % commuters use ‘Smart Card’ or ‘Varshik Card’. This card offers 15% discount to rider on each trip. Ajay Seth, BMCRL’s managing director shares that the to-up automated machines to be kept on places with high footfall rates. Seth adds that they plan to put the automated top-up machines at TTMC centres of BMTC, prominent banks as well as metro stations. They are also considering other places where these machines can be placed. The MD however, did not give a time frame as to when these machines will be installed. From February this year, BMCRL had allowed to increase the storage value on the card. At Metro...

Bengaluru: With no headway in land acquisition, Bangalore Metro officials seek bids from contractors. As per sources, three private firms are reportedly investing 100 crore each for constructing Outer Ring Road (ORR) of the metro network. These investors are investing with the hope of early completion of the work. This, after Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) showed no headway with regards to land acquisition. With this delay questions are raised on planning capabilities of metro body. BMRCL has to acquire around 35,000 square meter of land for the for the 18-km line between the Central Silk Board and KR Puram (along the ORR) to materialise. A large portion of land is needed to construct the stations with the viaducts to come up over the road medians. The metro officials have shared that they have submitted a preliminary notification to the government for acquiring 35,000 square meters of land. They are waiting for necessary nod from the government officials. The approval from...

Bangalore: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) is toying with the idea of placing ads within the trains. The aim is to increase non-operational revenue that will help in support other functions. The ads would be places outside the coaches; instead they will be within the coaches. BMRCL feels that they would not be placing ads on the exteriors as it will shadow the identity of the services offered by metro. They will display advertisement inside the six-coach metro coaches. Chief public relations officer of BMRCL, UA Vasanth Rao shared that it would not be a good idea to place ads in three-car train. The coaches are congested and commuters might not see the ad. Once six-car train coaches start to ply on the network, ridership will increase wherein they will get better ad rates. Currently, BMRCL has only one six-car train with 49 three-car trains getting additional coaches. This will happen once Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) delivers them by June 2019. Rao also said that they...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is now eyeing greater investment from private companies. The metro rail corporation is trying to reach out to interested companies to fund metro rail projects. Recently Infosys Foundation has agreed to offer Rs 200 crore for the development of Konappana Agrahara station (Electronic City-2). Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd is reaching to corporate houses to fund metro projects like the Outer Ring Road that fall under the tech corridors. This partnership works out as a perfect win-win situation for both the BMRCL and the companies. The companies investing in the metro project get lot of advantages like reduced traffic congestion in the locality where their office is situated. Besides, it also means better and safer traffic congestion for commuters. These companies also get an opportunity to be part of the metro project and infrastructure development taking place in the city. In lieu of the funding, BMRCL on their par...

Bengaluru:   With Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation’s (BMRCL) missing several deadline with regards to completion of work for phase 2, state government feels they will meet the 2021 deadline. The target seems ambitious given the deadlines being missed by the JD(S)-Congress coalition government feels the deadline in achievable for Bangalore Metro . There are doubts whether BMRCL will be able to meet deadline as work is not being carried out as per desired pace. In the second phase the Bangalore metro project will cover a stretch of 118 km. In the joint session of the Legislature Governor VR Vala shared a 19-page insight on the project’s progress. During the speech Vala highlighted the priorities as well gave broad perspective to the government. Namma Metro Phase II, which consists of four extensions of Phase I and two new lines, furthermore covers the 19-km Outer Ring Road stretch from the Central Silk Board junction to KR Puram (Phase II-A) and the 30-km stretch from N...

Bangalore : Namma Metro serves the city Bangalore. It is the first underground metro line in South India. It abides two color-coded lines, with a total length of 42.3 kilometers and serves 30 stations and has three to extendable six coaches. [caption id="attachment_13365" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Reserved Coach for Women in Delhi Metro[/caption] The women passengers of the Namma metro demands the signboard on the first coach of the metro but the BMRCL Stated that it is impossible to put a board on the first coach as the Namma Metro is not like an ordinary train as it is not possible to detach the engine and place it in front during every onward journey and it could affect the coach as well. As the six coach is running up the board has become a necessity for the women commuters as it makes them feel safe and comfortable and the board will help the men’s that they are not allowed to that particular coach. The separate coach would help them in settl...

Bengaluru: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) gets a new managing director. Karnataka cadre IAS officer of the 1987 batch, Ajay Seth was appointed as the new MD. Seth succeeds Mahendra Jain who was the additional chief secretary of urban development department, who was holding the additional charge of BMRCL after Pradeep Singh Kharola moved to the Centre in December 2017. Seth will resume office soon but will continue to hold the charge of additional chief secretary – health and family welfare department. Jain during his tenure as an MD of Bangalore Metro was known to introduce several initiatives. These include reserving the first two doors for women passengers and speeding up introduction of the first six-car train with one coach booked for women passenger. Jain was also known for his role in starting Bangalore metro’s airport connectivity project. This project was earlier part of phase 3 but under Jain’s tenure it was taken up during phase 2 itself. ...

Bangalore: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has invited tender for the first phase of the Vellara Junction to Shivajinagar project. This comes in wake of the BMRCL approaching European Investment Bank (EIB) seeking a green signal to float a tender for the tunnel network from Vellara to Pottery Town. The cost of the project is estimated at around ₹1,130.61 crore. The tender is invited for interested parties for the design and construction of underground structures covering a of 2.755 km at Vellara, M.G. Road and Shivajinagar in the Reach-6 line in Phase 2 of the metro rail project. As per the recent development, the tender will be floated in two packages in order to make bidding competitive and fair. The project is expected to completed in around three-and-a-half years. Mahendra Jain, MD, BMRCL shared that the tender for the second package will be invited soon. In both the packages the official shared that they will be employing five tunnel boring machines. Jain s...

Bangalore:  The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has came out with its initial message for the properties that will be needed for the outer ring road (ORR) line. This project is of 36,782 sq mt of land including 48 properties that will be acquired. [caption id="attachment_13206" align="alignnone" width="1805"] Proposed Silk Board-K.R. Puram (ORR) line of Namma Metro[/caption] The first project that will be build with the supports from the corporate on Namma Metro lines will be a rs. 4,202 crore project. This will connect KR Puram junction to Silk Board junction (phase- 2A) via ORR and it will be 17- km elevated line. On February 28,2018 it received the state cabinet’s approval. Ms Channappagoudar the general  manager of land acquisitions, BMRCL told the new Indian express that 48 properties have been notified and the total land acquires comes to 36,782 sq mt. the metro line acquire the smallest property. Ms Channappagoudar the general  manag...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has sent two corrupt Officers of its HR department to their parent department (organisation) in this week for allegedly forging official documents to promote themselves for personal gains. In past the employees union of BMRC had highlighted their corrupt activities at large scale and demanded appropriate action from the Management. According to sources, Additional General Manager (Human Resource) Hariswamy, has been sent back to the Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Limited while Deputy General Manager (Human Resource) I V Anuradha has been sent to the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Limited. It was further found that both have not authorized to work on their so called designations because  they have promoted themselves to work on higher positions by forging and tampering documents. The incident of forging documents was noticed a few days after December 10, 2017, the date the previous Managing Director Pradeep Singh ...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has sent two corrupt Officers of its HR department to their parent department (organisation) in this week for allegedly forging official documents to promote themselves for personal gains. In past the employees union of BMRC had highlighted their corrupt activities at large scale and demanded appropriate action from the Management. According to sources, Additional General Manager (Human Resource) Hariswamy, has been sent back to the Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Limited while Deputy General Manager (Human Resource) I V Anuradha has been sent to the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Limited. It was further found that both have not authorized to work on their so called designations because  they have promoted themselves to work on higher positions by forging and tampering documents. The incident of forging documents was noticed a few days after December 10, 2017, the date the previous Managing Director Pradeep Singh ...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) is extending train timings during six nights when IPL matches will be played at the Chinnaswamy stadium To facilitate easy commute for cricket lovers. BMRC also announced a special return ticket fare of Rs 50 to any Metro station from Cubbon Park and MG Road Metro stations on match days. BMRC Press Release: Extending metro train timings for cricket lovers during IPL matches (Source: BMRC) According to press release issued by the BMRC, the train services on both the Purple (Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Road) and Green lines (Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli) will be extended from the present closure timing of 11 pm to 12:30 am of the following day. The frequency during the extended period will be a train every 15 minutes. The extension in train timings will be effected on April 13 (Friday), April 21 (Saturday), April 25 (Wednesday) and April 29 (Sunday) as well as May 1 (Tuesday) and May 17 (Thursday). Since the match on April 15 (Sunday)...

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) is extending train timings during six nights when IPL matches will be played at the Chinnaswamy stadium To facilitate easy commute for cricket lovers. BMRC also announced a special return ticket fare of Rs 50 to any Metro station from Cubbon Park and MG Road Metro stations on match days. BMRC Press Release: Extending metro train timings for cricket lovers during IPL matches (Source: BMRC) According to press release issued by the BMRC, the train services on both the Purple (Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Road) and Green lines (Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli) will be extended from the present closure timing of 11 pm to 12:30 am of the following day. The frequency during the extended period will be a train every 15 minutes. The extension in train timings will be effected on April 13 (Friday), April 21 (Saturday), April 25 (Wednesday) and April 29 (Sunday) as well as May 1 (Tuesday) and May 17 (Thursday). Since the match on April 15 (Sunday)...

Bengaluru: Around 900 employees affiliated with Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union have decided to go on indefinite strike from March 22 seeking various demands from the management. The union has given a notice the BMRCL management in this regard. The Metro employees demand perks and salary on par with Delhi and Jaipur metro employees. T he BMRCL Employees Union said though it is registered and affiliated to the Indian National Trade Union Congress, it has not yet been recognised. The Metro management warned that it would invoke provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and action would be taken if anyone resorts to disrupting metro services. The BMRCL managing director Mahendra Jain told media that the Metro service has been declared as essential services under Essential Services Maintenance Act and stringent action would be taken if anyone resorts to disrupting metro services. What are their demands? Recognition of Bengaluru Metro Rail Employees Union Immedia...

Bengaluru: Around 900 employees affiliated with Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union have decided to go on indefinite strike from March 22 seeking various demands from the management. The union has given a notice the BMRCL management in this regard. The Metro employees demand perks and salary on par with Delhi and Jaipur metro employees. T he BMRCL Employees Union said though it is registered and affiliated to the Indian National Trade Union Congress, it has not yet been recognised. The Metro management warned that it would invoke provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and action would be taken if anyone resorts to disrupting metro services. The BMRCL managing director Mahendra Jain told media that the Metro service has been declared as essential services under Essential Services Maintenance Act and stringent action would be taken if anyone resorts to disrupting metro services. What are their demands? Recognition of Bengaluru Metro Rail Employees Union Immedia...