14 years after launch, Namma Metro crawls while Bengaluru’s traffic surges ahead

BENGALURU: On Oct 20, 2011, Namma Metro began its journey with a modest 6.7km stretch between MG Road and Byappanahalli, promising a future of seamless commute for a city already infamous for its traffic snarls.

While Monday marked south India’s first Metro service’s 14th anniversary, the vision of a fully connected Bengaluru remains distant. The Metro network has expanded to 97km, with 83 stations and daily ridership surpassing 10 lakh commuters. Yet, for many residents, the dream of a reliable, city-wide Metro network remains unfulfilled.