Chaos on Bengaluru metro: Commuters slam BMRCL over peak hour delays

Bengaluru Metro faced heavy criticism on Monday morning after Namma Metro trains ran at 10 minute intervals during peak hours, leading to overcrowding and chaos at major stations like Majestic and Magadi Road. Videos on social media showed packed platforms and passengers struggling to board full trains. The sudden change caused outrage, particularly among office-goers, who were caught off guard by the poor planning. 

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Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan called out the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for “Unacceptable mismanagement”, criticizing the decision to reduce frequency assuming it was a public holiday. Many commuters expressed their anger online, highlighting the long waiting times, lack of space inside trains, and a recent fare hike despite poor service. Some warned that such overcrowding could result in dangerous stampede, especially ay key stations with no crowd control or proper queue systems.  

Unacceptable mismanagement at Majestic Metro Station this morning. Reducing train frequency to 10 mins during peak hours, assuming everyone has a holiday, created absolute chaos. BMRCL must plan better in such cases and restore normal frequency immediately. pic.twitter.com/rkp7VPIKKi

— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP)

Unacceptable mismanagement at Majestic Metro Station this morning. Reducing train frequency to 10 mins during peak hours, assuming everyone has a holiday, created absolute chaos. BMRCL must plan better in such cases and restore normal frequency immediately. pic.twitter.com/rkp7VPIKKi

— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) April 14, 2025

">April 14, 2025

In response to the criticism, BMRCL said it had run additional trains from Baiyappanahalli and Majestic and announced a 5-minute frequency for evening peak hours. However, many felt the response was too little, too late. The incident highlighted a clear need for better planning, timely communication and more responsive management during high-demand hours.