Bengaluru's Yellow Line metro sees huge passenger surge ahead of long weekend. Video

The long weekend served as a live stress test for the Yellow Line of Bengaluru's Namma Metro, highlighting strong public demand for mass transport systems.

Published on: Aug 15, 2025, 10:21:21 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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Bengaluru's newly inaugurated Yellow Line stretch of the Namma Metro witnessed an overwhelming passenger surge on Friday evening ahead of the long weekend, drawing notable attention from commuters, residents and social media users alike.

The Yellow Line of Bengaluru's Namma Metro was launched on August 10. (Screengrab/X)

A video shared by a Bengaluru resident on social media site X showed throngs of people queuing up at the Yellow Line metro station, waiting for trains. Many were seen carrying luggage for outstation travel, with metro security personnel guiding the crowds.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru commuter penalized for ‘overstaying’ at Yellow Line Metro station

“@OfficialBMRCL don't say you did not expect the weekend rush!! @DKShivakumar Tunnel road is still a better solution?” the resident questioned on X.

See the video here:

There has been an ongoing debate between tunnel roads vs mass transit systems like the metro in Bengaluru, which centres on long-term sustainability versus short-term relief.

ALSO READ | BMTC launches metro feeder buses for Yellow Line: Route details, timings, stops

Record-breaking ridership

The Namma Metro hit a new milestone on Monday, clocking its highest-ever single-day ridership - just a day after the city’s long-anticipated Yellow Line began operations.

According to figures released by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), a total of 10,48,031 commuters rode the metro network that day - marking a record across all active lines.

Here’s the breakdown:

– Purple Line (Line 1): 4,51,816 passengers

– Green Line (Line 2): 2,91,677 passengers

– Yellow Line (Line 3): 52,215 passengers on its first full day

– Interchange stations usage: 2,52,323 commuters switched between lines

ALSO READ | Bengaluru Metro's Yellow-Green crossover caught on camera, video goes viral

Long-weekend spike and commuter excitement

The launch was followed by a long weekend, with Independence Day falling on Friday, August 15, Krishna Janmashtami on Saturday, August 16, followed by Sunday. In this regard, several Bengaluru residents planned quick weekend trips and getaways to popular nearby sites or their native towns.

This amplified the rush at the Yellow Line metro as both daily commuters and leisure travellers flocked to experience the new corridor.

The back story behind the Yellow Line

Spanning 19.143 km, the fully elevated Yellow Line connects RV Road in Jayanagar to Bommasandra, cutting through key zones like Electronic City. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 10 and began serving the public on August 11.

Built at an estimated cost of ₹7,600 - 7,610 crore and spanning 16 stations, the line runs with three trainsets at 25‑minute intervals for now, with plans to ramp up frequency as more trains arrive in the coming months.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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