[GrammarNazi]

KR Puram - Baiyapanahalli stretch will likely start from 2nd October. Link

After the online heckling they got after yesterday's unbelievable traffic logjam, I'm sure they won't delay this even a few days further.

[nova.19_exe]

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

KR Puram - Baiyapanahalli stretch will likely start from 2nd October.

After the online heckling they got after yesterday's unbelievable traffic logjam, I'm sure they won't delay this even a few days further.

This is really needed.. I can't get out of my apartment gate.. It literally takes me 25 mins just to cross one signal near Rameshwaram Cafe. If Metro comes then, hopefully, people will resort to Metro instead of private transportation!

[am1m]

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

After the online heckling they got after yesterday's unbelievable traffic logjam, I'm sure they won't delay this even a few days further.

God I certainly hope so! About time someone gave it to them properly for all the flip-flops on the deadlines for this short stretch. The press certainly hasn't so far.

But I'm used to seeing so many headlines that confidently state this stretch will open by such-date...since June! Certainly hope this one is correct, but won't hold my breath.

[WorkingGuru]

These people are thick skinned & lack absolutely ANY empathy towards commuters.

"No final decision yet on opening Bengaluru's KR Pura-Baiyappanahalli metro line" : Link

BMRCL boss Anjum Parwez told DH that the date for opening the crucial link hadn't yet been decided...

BJP's Bangalore Central MP, PC Mohan, in whose constituency the Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura metro line falls, said that he had no information about the opening date.

The commencement of commercial operations depends on several factors, including the availability of political leaders and other dignitaries.

[nova.19_exe]

KR Puram metro station connection to Baiyapannahalli was supposed to open on Oct 2nd. New date has been given for tomorrow i.e 6th of October!

Let's see what tomorrow brings! Hopefully good news, fingers crossed!

[BrokenHW]

As per the below notification.
Entire Purple Line to be operational from 5am on October 9

[nova.19_exe]

Originally Posted by BrokenHW

As per the below notification.
Entire Purple Line to be operational from 5am on October 9

Well, has it or not? I wanted to touch KR Puram today just to check it out but couldn't! Has anybody checked?

[TheRandomGuy]

Originally Posted by nova.19_exe

Well, has it or not? I wanted to touch KR Puram today just to check it out but couldn't! Has anybody checked?

It is open and fully functional. Enjoy.

[nova.19_exe]

Originally Posted by TheRandomGuy

It is open and fully functional. Enjoy.

Thank goodness for this! A boon to the people living here! I know traffic won't go down in just a day, it's gonna be gradual, but hoping for the best here!

[Chetan_Rao]

Cue the most glaring issue becoming obvious in a hurry.

Challaghatta Metro station on Mysore Road is on the city-bound side of the highway, with no pedestrian crossing provisioned to/from the outbound side, so a majority of riders will need to cross the highway on foot.

While the majority will likely cross under the elevated section in front of Rajarajeshwari Medical College (still busy due to bus routes and suburban traffic upto Bidadi), a non-zero chunk will probably go the other way to catch buses near the NICE interchange, increasing the risky foot traffic across the main highway there.

Why are our infrastructure developers so incompetent?

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Cue the most glaring issue becoming obvious in a hurry.

Challaghatta Metro station on Mysore Road is on the city-bound side of the highway, with no pedestrian crossing provisioned to/from the outbound side, so a majority of riders will need to cross the highway on foot.

While the majority will likely cross under the elevated section in front of Rajarajeshwari Medical College (still busy due to bus routes and suburban traffic upto Bidadi), a non-zero chunk will probably go the other way to catch buses near the NICE interchange, increasing the risky foot traffic across the main highway there.

Why are our infrastructure developers so incompetent?

Yes, it is so obvious that an FOB should have been constructed along with the metro station. I wonder if the BMRCL thought that maybe since this is the last station and outside the main hustle bustle, the footfall will be less. Looks like they did not forsee the growth in this area.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Cue the most glaring issue becoming obvious in a hurry.
.....increasing the risky foot traffic across the main highway there.

Why are our infrastructure developers so incompetent?

The pedestrian skywalk at Esteem Mall, Hebbal was built after protests when a water tanker mowed down two pedestrians.

The one at Bellandur was constructed after persistent campaigns and protests after a security guard was killed while crossing the road.

Perhaps, the administration is waiting for the 'human sacrifices' before they wake up.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

... I wonder if the BMRCL thought that maybe since this is the last station and outside the main hustle bustle, the footfall will be less. Looks like they did not forsee the growth in this area.

That area has always been rather busy due to the medical college's location, and suburban traffic upto Bidadi (even Ramanagara) has gone up significantly, long before work on the Metro station even began in earnest.

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

The pedestrian skywalk at Esteem Mall, Hebbal was built after protests when a water tanker mowed down two pedestrians...

Unfortunately, memories are short. A couple weeks ago, two young guys nonchalantly put up a hand and jumped into traffic a little ahead of me (outbound traffic that actually picks up speed there).

Traffic slowed to a crawl momentarily, so I rolled the window down, pointed at the footbridge and asked if they remember the story behind that one. One looked at me incredulously, the other mouthed obscenities before they both jogged on.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Challaghatta Metro station on Mysore Road is on the city-bound side of the highway, with no pedestrian crossing provisioned to/from the outbound side, so a majority of riders will need to cross the highway on foot.

I've actually been looking forward to this station opening. Occasionally I need to head to that part of town and so far I've been getting down at Kengeri and walking to past the NICE road junction. So I'm just glad this one is open, finally!

About the larger issue of actually making the stations more accessible and usable, well, after using the Metro pretty regularly since it opened in 2011, it's pretty obvious that BMRCL thinks their job ends just running the trains. And to be fair, that's a pretty humongous job. Always wondered though, when we can execute the really massive engineering jobs, why not do the small stuff that makes a public transportation system really people-friendly?

Fix the footpaths, make sure all entry/exits are open (till recently, one of the entry/exits at the Indiranagar metro station would remain closed for most of the day, leading to crowding at the other entry. The reason- not enough people to man the exit! After spending 100s of crores on the Metro, why not just employ some people at salaries of what, a few thousands a month?!), anticipate the huge crowds at Yeshwantpur and have more screening/scanning machines, instead of having queues extend till outside the station in the morning. (Or better yet- do away with the damn 'security screening', it's eyewash. Indian Railway stations run without that anyway.) Things like that.

But, it's great that the new stations are finally running. The finer points I'm afraid are going to take time. Need not be that way, but that's the reality. (This stuff would get fixed faster if someone high up in BMRCL actually starts using the Metro regularly themselves!)

[condor]

With the KR Puram side now being open, BiL shared that his commute has now reduced by about 10 minutes in the evenings.

I guess things will be much better once the other line from Silk Board is completed, but then that's for another season. Not the next, or the one after, but in some time.