Metro trains skip two stations for nearly three hours amid heavy crowds during Freedom Habba
Bengaluru Metro temporarily skipped two central stations for three hours on Saturday evening to manage extreme crowd congestion during the Freedom Hubba celebrations. The BMRCL stated the measure was necessary for safety and crowd control in coordination with local traffic authorities.
Why it matters
It illustrates the logistical challenges of managing public infrastructure during large-scale urban events.
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Sunday clarified that trains had temporarily skipped Cubbon Park and Sir M. Visvesvaraya Metro stations for nearly three hours on Saturday evening amid heavy crowds during the Freedom Hubba celebrations around Vidhana Soudha.
People were not allowed to board or alight from the two stations between 7.21 p.m. and 9.57 p.m., though trains continued to run through the stretch. The BMRCL said those who were already waiting on the platforms were picked up by trains and taken to their destinations.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the BMRCL said the restriction was imposed after a large crowd gathered around Vidhana Soudha and the approaches to the two metro stations. The decision was taken in consultation with the authorities responsible for traffic and crowd management at the event, it said.
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