Post-Deepavali rush: Namma Metro sees heavy crowds as commuters return after holidays

Namma Metro witnessed heavy crowding on Thursday (October 23, 2025) morning as thousands of commuters returned to the city following Deepavali holidays. With offices, schools, and colleges reopening, major metro stations, including Majestic, Kengeri, Yeshwantpur, Dasarahalli, Madavara and Nagasandra, saw long queues from as early as 5 a.m.

As night buses began arriving at the city’s main areas, large groups of passengers from various parts of Karnataka and neighbouring states flocked to metro stations to reach their destinations. The Majestic Metro station, which serves as an interchange hub between the Purple and Green lines, recorded one of its busiest mornings.

Heavy rush at Majestic interchange

The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda (Majestic) Metro Station, which connects directly to the KSR Railway Station and the Majestic Bus Stand, was packed with commuters throughout the morning. Hundreds of passengers queued at ticket counters and security gates, while long lines formed at the escalators leading to both metro lines.

“Since early morning, there was a massive influx of passengers entering from both the railway station and bus station sides. We had to open additional entry gates to handle the rush. All counters were kept open, and extra staff were deployed to manage the crowd,” said a metro staff member on duty.

Being a key interchange point, the Majestic station saw more entries than exits, as passengers boarded metros toward different parts of the city. Many officegoers and students were seen waiting several minutes before they could enter crowded trains.

“I had to let at least three trains pass before I could finally board one,” said Mohan K.S., a commuter who travelled from Majestic to Yeshwanthpur. “The platforms were so packed that it was difficult to even stand properly.”

The Kengeri Metro station on the Purple Line also reported significant congestion, with ticketing queues spilling outside the entrance. Security checks and frisking took longer than usual due to increased passenger flow.

A metro staffer at Kengeri said the rush had been anticipated. “We knew this would happen since many people had travelled to their hometowns during the festival. We made arrangements by deploying more staff and keeping all counters open,” the staffer said.

He added that commuters seemed to prefer Kengeri station over Challaghatta or Kengeri Bus Terminal stations. “The flyover near Challaghatta makes access difficult, and the bus terminal is often overcrowded, so most passengers choose Kengeri,” he explained.

Commuters voice frustration

Some passengers expressed frustration over the lack of prior announcements or planning by metro authorities. “BMRCL should have anticipated this post-festival rush and started train operations earlier, maybe around 4 a.m.,” said Asha Rao, a daily commuter. “It was very inconvenient. What is the use of having such a large network if it can’t handle the city’s travel demands during peak times?”

Officials from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) stated that additional personnel were deployed to control the crowd and ensure smooth operations across major stations. “Our teams were monitoring the situation closely to avoid overcrowding and maintain passenger safety,” an official said.

As of Thursday afternoon, BMRCL had not released the official ridership figures for the day.