Whitefield Metro in Bengaluru yet to draw officegoers in big way

BENGALURU: The standalone KR Puram-Whitefield Metro line inaugurated on March 25 - the first to run through an IT corridor in Bengaluru - is not yet a hit among officegoers, mainly techies, as weekdays are seeing a daily ridership of just over 23,000.

Experts say the figure will go up once the corridor is connected to Byappanahalli. The isolated Purple Line running for 13.7km with 12 stations from KR Puram to Whitefield was inaugurated with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25. It was expected to draw IT professionals for their commute to office and back, given the nightmarish crawl on the roads in the area. But the ridership numbers have remained average.
While Day 1 of commercial operations (March 26) saw 27,379 people taking the new line, five days later the number remained 27,544 (April 1). But weekday figures showed a dip - while March 27 saw a ridership of 21,261, the number barely crossed 23,000 in the next four days, indicating that the new line is yet to gain patronage among officegoers. Weekend ridership, however, has been good, with the curiosity factor drawing joyriders.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials and urban mobility experts believe that completing the 2km link between KR Puram and Byappanahalli is essential for drawing more patrons. Expected to be ready by June-end, the completed Purple Line will attract many, they say. Construction work is progressing fast, sources in the know said.