Ever since the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit system, known popularly as ‘Namma’ Metro, Phase I was thrown open to the public, on June 18th, 2017, my friend and colleague Mrs. Shamim Banu and myself were planning gleefully to take an end to end, bumper to bumper ride on the Metro.
After many postponements, similar to the inaugural date of the Metro, we finally hopped in on 14th October 2017, to see how Namma Metro is doing. Our plan was to get on one southernmost station in a line, the Green line, because that is closer to us and travel to the very end of that line. Then return to the central Kempe Gowda station and traverse the other line, the Pink one, from end to end.
We took a cab from home and got dropped at Jayanagar Metro station. There was a flight of steps leading to the station, where we were to buy the tickets. We did muse that Namma Metro might not be very ‘Elder-friendly,’ if at every station they must climb so many stairs. What about people in wheel chair? They shouldn’t even think of travelling by Metro, I suppose!
The Jayanagar station was prim and proper, clean and neat, and quite ultramodern. From there we bought tickets, Rs.50 each to Nagasandra, the last station in the Green line. Within two minutes as announced, the train arrived as noiselessly as would a pussy cat and exactly at 10 AM we boarded the train.
We got seats and giggling like school girls, we sat and arched our backs to see the scenaries outside. The train whizzed past South End circle, Lalbagh, and National college. It entered underground stations as it passed through KR. Market and Chickpet, when the crowd started picking up. We crossed the central Kempe Gowda, Majestic station. One lot got down but another of equal size got in.
Crowded escalators at Majestic
The train emerged to glimpse the outside world after crossing Sampige Road station, Mantri squire station. By the time we crossed Mahakavi Kuvempu station and Rajajinagar, the crowd became less. Then we were passing through lesser known stations like Mahalakshmi, Sandal Soap station and then of course the well-known Yeshwnathpur station. Goraguntepalya and Peenya stations quickly passed by and Peenya Industry, Jalahalli, Dasarahalli staions speeded by and finally we reached Nagasandra station, the endpoint of Green Line.
It had taken us 41 minutes up till this point. The ride was smooth and no hassles. There was enough standing place inside the car and these were clean and of course new. We didn’t see any graffiti on the walls or anywhere else.
Promptly we went to the ticket counter and bought tickets from Nagasandra to Majestic central station and there on to Byappanahalli, costing us Rs.58 each. It started at 11 am and we reached Majestic centre, where we got down and got up the escalators to climb two levels and then reach the point where the trains going to Byappanahalli, the Pink line, would come.
As we waited for the train to come, we noticed arrow marks indicating where people have to stand in queue to get in and which blocks of area are to be left free for the people getting down. I was really surprised to see people standing in queue very tamely, one behind the other. People have learnt their manners at last! And what no one could enforce, Namma Metro had achieved, we exclaimed to each other.
The train came, and there you go! The queue melted in a second and people just rushed to the doors. So much for our people learning any manners! One improvement, they left some passage for the disembarking people for a few seconds and then rushed in to close that also.
We got into the train by 11.40 AM. Interesting stations were to come in this route. First was Sri. M. Visveswaraya station – Central college, then Vidhana Soudha, the heart of the city, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar station, and Cubbon park station, which were underground. So, missed viewing the glorious citadel of the city, the famed Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the power in the State.
Shamim at an escalator
Eyes were rewarded as the train emerged into the open on Mahatma Gandhi Road station. I was eagerly trying to catch the sights of familiar places. But the train was so overcrowded, I didn’t even get a seat to sit. It was the second Saturday, a holiday for government offices, and what were people doing travelling in the Metro? Can’t they sit at home and relax? Shamim pointed out that private offices and companies might still be working. Hmm, bad luck for us!
We reached Baiyappanahalli after crossing Halasuru, Trinity, and Indiranagar stations. It was 12.01 PM. By now I was feeling a bit hungry, craving for a mid-morning snack. I had not packed anything thinking that we can buy something or the other at the stations.
Arrow markings, showing space on the platform
for disembarking people
Unfortunately, there were no stalls at all inside the stations. No coffee or tea even. Wonder why? If some are mad enough to want to travel in the Metro from end to end, as we did, should they not have some food to eat on the way, so that their energy level does not drop, while shifting from one line to the other? I think Namma Metro must think afresh on the matter and make some arrangements for sale of packed snacks and bottled drinks including iced coffee or tea.
Shamim waiting in line
Also, there were no toilets at all at any station. These need not be at the station where trains come and go, but at least near the ticket booths or at the entry and exit points of the stations, such facilities need to be provided for.
At Baiyappanahalli we tried one experiment. We now had to go to Mysore Road station, the end of the Pink line and then return to Majestic central station to switch to the Green line and reach our place Jayanagar. Can we travel without buying a ticket from Baiyappanahalli to Mysore Road? We tried and crossed over to the station, where train to Mysore Road was coming. We climbed down the stairs and joined the crowd. Voila! No checking!
City near Mysore Road,
as seen from the Metro
We decided to give a miss to four stations after Jayanagar in the Green line, these being Rashtreeya Vidalaya Road, Banashankari, Jaya Prakash Nagar and the last station Yelachenahalli, as we were quite tired by this time. We hopped on to an autorickshaw and proceeded to Al Bek restaurant for a sumptuous lunch. As we sat and broke the butter naan, scooping out Nlli Nihari, we reminisced.
Tree tops full of flowers
seen from the Metro
Well, for one thing it was mission achieved. Second, we had a first-hand knowledge of Namma Metro and could recommend it to our friends and acquaintances. Third, I would hope that the present MD. Metro will read this and take pride their achievements and also take note of the suggestions we have made, we being their former senior colleagues!
Like the absence of escalators at the entrance to the stations; necessity of toilets and vending machines or snack bars inside the stations. At the same time, we are hoping the ticket-less travel we made at one line will either be ignored or overlooked!
Congratulations and long live Namma Metro!
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