Bengaluru: A surge in passenger footfall as thousands headed towards Vidhana Soudha for Freedom Habba forced BMRCL to temporarily shut two Purple Line stations Saturday evening over overcrowding and public safety concerns.Sir M Visvesvaraya Central College and Cubbon Park Metro stations were closed around 7pm as crowds swelled near the event venue, with trains instructed to skip both stations. BMRCL had also announced that Dr BR Ambedkar Vidhana Soudha Metro station would remain closed from 10.30am to 9.30pm Saturday following directions from authorities. All three stations were reopened to passengers around 10pm.“Considering the heavy crowding, the operations wing took a decision to temporarily shut the stations during the evening. Trains skipped all three stations, while MG Road and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda stations continued to operate as usual,” a BMRCL official said.The closures caused difficulties for commuters travelling to and from Vidhana Soudha. MG Road station also witnessed heavy footfall, making access to platforms difficult, as cultural programmes and public activities continued through the evening.
