Bengaluru: Officegoers commuting on Green Line of Namma Metro faced delays Thursday morning after a signalling fault disrupted services between Silk Institute and Madavara.According to BMRCL, a train developed a signalling issue near Banashankari Metro station at around 8.23am, forcing it to halt. The train was subsequently moved to the terminal station, following which services resumed at 8.40am.However, the disruption had a cascading effect across the Green Line, with several trains running behind schedule. Normal services on the entire corridor were restored by around 10.30am.The slowdown in train operations led to overcrowding on platforms. Passengers said they had to wait longer as they were unable to board the already crowded trains. Many also alleged inadequate communication from BMRCL regarding the disruption.Anand R, a passenger, said, “BMRCL operates one of the costliest Metro services in the country. While it has been quick to increase fares, the same urgency is not seen in ensuring reliable services. Frequent disruptions cause a lot of inconvenience to commuters. BMRCL should take immediate steps to improve maintenance and prevent such incidents from recurring.”However, BMRCL maintained that there was no major disruption. “After a train developed a signalling issue, all passengers were deboarded at Banashankari Metro station. Train services resumed as quickly as possible. Since a few trains were held up, it took some time to restore the normal schedule. Services across the entire Green Line were normal by around 10.30am,” said BMRCL chief public relations officer, BL Yeshwanth Chavan.Passengers also complained that trains have been running slowly between RV Road and Jayanagar stations for the past few months, alleging that BMRCL has been taking too long to rectify the issue. Responding to the allegation, Chavan said, “BMRCL has taken up replacement of bearings, and the work is being carried out in phases. Since commercial operations continue throughout the day, only limited hours are available at night for the work. The ongoing maintenance has not affected regular Green Line services.”
