A video grab of the severe crowding seen in front of Cubbon Park Metro Station after a train developed a technical fault in the underground section, in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
Bengaluru’s Namma Metro services on the Purple Line were disrupted during peak hours on Tuesday evening from around 6.45 p.m., after a train developed a technical fault near Cubbon Park Metro Station in the underground section, leading to severe crowding at several stations along the corridor.
Services were yet to resume normalcy at the time of going to print.
In a statement, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said that a technical fault was noticed in one of the trains at Cubbon Park Metro Station. The issue was reported by the Operations Control Centre (OCC), following which operations and maintenance teams were deployed to attend to the fault on priority.
Due to the disruption, train services were operated only between Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station (Majestic) and Challaghatta on one side and between Indiranagar and Whitefield (Kadugodi) on the other. Services in the affected underground stretch remained suspended, resulting in long waiting times and overcrowding at stations.
A senior BMRCL official told The Hindu that the disruption was caused by a fault in the Current Collector Device (CCD), a critical component that enables a Metro train to draw power from the electrified third rail. “The device ensures a continuous supply of high-voltage electricity to the train’s traction motors. The CCD was damaged before the train reached Cubbon Park Metro Station, resulting in the technical snag,” the official said.
Stranded passengers crowd the entrance of Cubbon Park Metro Station following a technical fault that halted Purple Line operations of Namma Metro, in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K
The official further said that rectifying the issue is a time-consuming process, as the damaged component must be carefully repaired and the affected train safely moved out of the section. “BMRCL personnel are currently working to restore the train and shift it to the depot for a detailed inspection and further investigation. Efforts are also underway to resume normal train operations on the affected stretch at the earliest,” official added.
Meanwhile, a few commuters who were on board the train said they heard a loud noise before it came to a halt. One of the passengers, Alan D’Souza, wrote on X: “There was a huge sound in the last coach just as it entered the Cubbon Park tunnel. The rear motor drives aren’t working, and the HVAC turns off frequently as the train picks up speed. There are occasional jerks as the train cruises after acceleration.”
As crowds increased across stations during the evening peak hour, BMRCL temporarily closed entry at M.G. Road Metro Station, while Cubbon Park Metro Station remained shut following the disruption. Thousands of commuters were left scrambling for alternative modes of transport.
Outside stations such as Indiranagar, M.G. Road and Cubbon Park, long queues of passengers were seen waiting for updates. Police personnel made repeated public announcements informing commuters about the service disruption and directing them towards alternative transport options. Many passengers were forced to rely on BMTC buses, autorickshaws and cab services. However, the sudden surge in demand made it difficult for commuters to alternative modes of transport.
“It was complete chaos outside the station. We were asked to leave the premises and look for alternative transport, but finding a cab or an auto was nearly impossible because hundreds of people were trying to do the same thing. What would normally be a 20-minute Metro journey ended up taking me more than two hours. Luckily, there was no rain; or else it would have been a mess,” said Rakesh Kumar, a software professional who was travelling from M.G. Road to Indiranagar.
Published – June 23, 2026 07:50 pm IST
