Bengaluru: The BMRCL decision to reduce the frequency of trains to 15 minutes and to start the service from 8 am instead of 5 am on Sundays and government holidays has not gone down well with commuters.
Though it has been a while since the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd announced the decision, passengers are complaining about the inconvenience caused to them. The worst-affected are those leaving Bengaluru early in the morning to catch trains and buses. When autos, cabs, trains, flights and buses run almost round-the-clock, why has Metro delayed the start time on Sundays by three hours, commuters asked.
"Many people travel early morning to reach bus stands or railway stations. Metro is the best as it is easier to carry heavy luggage. But since Metro trains start only by 8 am on Sundays, many people have no option but to opt for other modes of transport. In other cities, Metro train timings remain the same on all days, but it is different only in Bengaluru. Every morning, I reach Vijaynagara Metro Station by 6 to reach Whitefield by 8. But only on Sundays, I take the bus because the Metro starts only at 8. There are many like me who use the bus on Sundays only because of this. We request BMRCL to start early morning trains on Sundays too," said Apoorva K.
But BMRCL officials said that experts suggested running trains late because of lesser passenger numbers for early morning trains. "Earlier, the train timings were till 10 pm, but after Green Line opened, it was extended till 11 pm. Trains reach the last station by 11.45 pm and this increases pressure on the technical team which has to do maintenance work of the tracks and coaches. That is one of the main reasons why we start trains at 8 am on Sundays. If there is a demand from commuters, we have to look into the issue and take a decision," a BMRCL senior official told Deccan Chronicle.
Even on government holidays, the frequency of Metro trains is reduced to 15 minutes. The BMRCL said that the frequency has been finalised based on the occupancy rate.
