Bengaluru Metro's Purple Line briefly disrupts, services restored after 3-minute delay

Bengaluru Metro's Purple Line faced a brief three-minute delay due to a technical issue, which has been resolved. Normal operations have resumed.

A technical snag on Bengaluru Metro’s Purple Line led to a brief disruption on Monday morning, causing a delay of around three minutes in train operations. The issue was promptly addressed, and services have now resumed normal operations, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). Authorities expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and assured commuters that teams are working continuously to maintain efficient metro services.

Bengaluru Metro's Purple Line faced minor disruption on Monday morning. (X/@bykarthikreddy)

While the Purple Line glitch was minor, larger concerns loom over the launch of the long-awaited Yellow Line, which connects RV Road to Bommasandra. Initially expected to open by mid-2024, the 19.15-km corridor is now facing further delays, with the earliest possible launch now pushed to late July or even August.

The primary reason for the delay reportedly lies in pending safety clearances for the line’s train signalling systems. Officials confirmed that although BMRCL has completed all required statutory tests, the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) certification is still on hold. The delay stems from software glitches identified during a data review by Siemens India Ltd, which is handling the Yellow Line’s signalling work.

“Metro train operations are entirely software-driven, and even the smallest glitch triggers a default safety mode,” a senior BMRCL earlier told. This conservative safety protocol means that no further steps — including the inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) — can proceed without ISA approval.

The ball is now in Siemens’ court, as the company has promised to submit corrected datasets by the end of June. Only after the ISA signs off on the updated software can BMRCL move forward with the final safety inspections and announce an opening date.