Bengaluru’s Yellow Line trains run at maximum capacity as passenger numbers cross one lakh

With only five trains available during rush hours, BMRCL is stretching its limited fleet on the Yellow Line, where each train now operates nearly 470 km a day to handle growing demand.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) is pushing its newly opened Yellow Line between RV Road and Bommasandra to its operational limits, as the corridor witnesses a sharp rise in ridership. Passenger numbers have now crossed one lakh, prompting the corporation to utilise every available train set to keep the line functional through peak-hour pressure.

With a 19.15-km stretch to cover and only five train sets currently available during rush hours, each train on the line is clocking nearly 470 km every day, significantly more than the 410-420 km run by trains on the Purple and Green Lines.

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When the Yellow Line was launched in August, BMRCL could deploy only three train sets, resulting in long waiting times and a 25-minute frequency. The addition of two more trains brought the frequency down to 15 minutes, offering temporary relief. A sixth set is expected by early December, and if cleared for commercial service by the end of the month, peak-hour headways could reduce further to 12 minutes.

Despite running a high-intensity schedule, BMRCL still has to rotate at least one train for routine checks during off-peak hours. Officials indicated that this maintenance window is unavoidable due to constant wear and the elevated kilometres the fleet runs each day.

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For seamless operations, the Yellow Line requires 15 train sets, a target that is not expected to be met until 2026. The seventh and eighth sets are under production, and more will follow over the next two years. Until then, the corridor will continue operating on a tight fleet, leaving little margin for disruptions. The Yellow Line has already recorded four service interruptions since launch, mostly linked to technical snags.