Parking woes and ticket delays trouble Namma Metro commuters on Yellow Line
Bengaluru: Daily commuters on Bengaluru’s Namma Metro, particularly along the RV Road–Bommasandra Yellow Line, are facing mounting challenges due to the lack of proper parking facilities at several stations. Adding to the woes, some stations on the Purple Line are struggling with staff shortages, forcing passengers to wait in queues for up to 30 minutes just to purchase tickets.
With ridership steadily increasing, the situation has worsened. For instance, commuters traveling between Challaghatta and Whitefield on the Purple Line often spend nearly half an hour in ticket queues, as many stations are understaffed. Students, who form a significant portion of metro users, say delays have caused them to miss classes. “It sometimes takes longer to travel by metro than by BMTC buses,” students complained, urging BMRCL to take corrective action.
On the Yellow Line, parking remains a major pain point. Of the 16 stations between RV Road and Bommasandra, only 11 provide parking facilities, leaving five stations without any option for vehicle parking. This has forced commuters to park in residential areas around the stations, frustrating local residents.
Across Namma Metro’s three operational corridors—Green, Purple, and Yellow—over 10 lakh commuters travel daily. On the Yellow Line alone, around 70,000–80,000 passengers use the metro each day. Yet, citywide, 18 of 83 stations still lack parking facilities, reflecting a major infrastructure gap.
Passengers have voiced anger over these shortcomings, while BMRCL officials admitted that tender-related issues have delayed parking operations. “We have already allotted parking at several stations, but due to tender problems, the facilities are yet to be streamlined. The issue will be resolved soon,” officials assured.
Commuters, however, remain adamant that urgent steps are required to address both parking shortages and staff deployment to ensure the metro remains a reliable alternative to road travel.