Purple Line
This trainset on standby at Vijayanagar metro station and heading towards Challaghatta metro station
Overview
Other name(s)	East - West corridor
Owner	Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)
Locale	Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Termini	Whitefield (Kadugodi) Challaghatta
Stations	37 (Operational)
Website	bmrc.co.in
Service
Type	Metro
System	Namma Metro
Depot(s)	Baiyappanahalli (To be shifted to U/C depots at Kadugodi and Challaghatta)
Rolling stock	Hyundai Rotem - BEML
Daily ridership	191,056 (2019)
Ridership	69.74 million (2019)
History
Opened	20 October 2011 (2011-10-20)
Technical
Line length	43.49 km
Character	Elevated, At Grade and Underground
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Operating speed	36 km/h (22 mph)
Purple Line map Legend Whitefield (Kadugodi) Kadugodi Kadugodi Depot Hopefarm Channasandra Kadugodi Tree Park Pattandur Agrahara Sri Sathya Sai Hospital Nallurhalli Whitefield TTMC Kundalahalli Seetharamapalya Hoodi Garudacharapalya Singayyanapalya Krishnarajapuram (KR Puram) Blue Line Under Construction Benniganahalli Tin Factory Baiyappanahalli Swami Vivekananda Road Indiranagar Halasuru Trinity Mahatma Gandhi Road Pink Line Under Construction Cubbon Park Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stn., Vidhana Soudha Sir M. Visveswaraya Stn., Central College Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Stn., Majestic Green Line Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station Magadi Road Sri Balagangadharanatha Swamiji Stn., Hosahalli Orange Line Proposed Vijayanagar Attiguppe Vijayanagara TTMC Deepanjali Nagar Mysuru Road Orange Line Proposed Pantharapalya - Nayandahalli Rajarajeshwari Nagar Jnanabharathi Jnanabharathi Railway Station Pattanagere Kengeri Bus Terminal Kengeri TTMC Kengeri Challaghatta Depot (U/C) Challaghatta

The Purple Line is a part of the Namma Metro rail system for the city of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. ^[1] As of 2023, the line is 43.49 km (27.02 mi) long and spans 37 stations from Challaghatta in the southwest to Whitefield (Kadugodi) to the east. ^[2] The Purple Line is mostly elevated, with 31 elevated stations, 5 underground stations and 1 at-grade station. The Line passes through many prime activity centers of the city including Whitefield, Krishnarajapura, MG Road, Vidhana Soudha and Majestic station, which is an interchange station between Purple and Green Lines. Phase I of the Purple Line was the first underground metro section in South India. ^[3]

Construction

Purple Line sections were opened as indicated below. ^[4]

Phase I

Civil construction work on Phase I of the line began on 15 April 2007 and was originally scheduled to be completed in 5 years. However, the project faced delays and missed several deadlines. Difficult tunnel boring conditions through a mixed geology with hard rock caused major delays. ^{[9] [10]} The first stretch of Purple Line (Reach 1, fully elevated) between Baiyyappanahalli and Mahatma Gandhi Road was inaugurated on 20 October 2011. Reach 2 (fully elevated) between Mysore Road and Magadi Road commenced operations on 16 November 2015. These two sections operated independently until the final section, the underground stretch between Mahatma Gandhi Road and City Railway station was opened on 30 April 2016, thus linking the previously opened stretches and completing Phase I for the Purple Line.

Costs for the Purple Line were estimated at ₹ 4500–5000 crore. The cost of the underground stretch alone amounted to about ₹ 1000 crores. ^{[11] [12]} Land acquisition for Phase I of the project cost ₹2,500 crore (US$310 million). ^[13] BMRCL secured ₹6,500 crore (US$810 million) through long-term loans and ₹300 crore (US$38 million) by selling bonds, while the remaining project cost was funded by Central Government and the State Government. Loans were secured from several agencies - ₹3,000 crore (US$380 million) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), ₹600 crore (US$75 million) from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO), ₹25 crore (US$3.1 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the rest from a French lending agency. Approximately 10% of the ₹ 6500 crore was to be paid as interest by BMRCL each year. The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) had estimated that interest payment alone would be ₹2 crore (US$250,000). However BMRCL stated that it was not so high but "definitely more than ₹1 crore (US$130,000) per day". ^[13]".

The tunnels bored using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are located approximately 60 feet below ground level, have an outer diameter of 6.5 metres and inner diameter of 5.6 metres, and situated are 5 metres apart. ^[14] Two Japanese TBMs, Helen and Margarita, were used for tunneling work of the Purple Line. ^{[15] [16] [17] [18] [19]} Tunneling work began in May 2011 and completed in May 2014. ^[20] Underground stations (City railway station, Sir M Visvesvaraya, Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park) were built by cut-and-cover method which required 10,000 controlled blasts using 50,000 kg of explosives of 125 gm gel nitrate capsules due to hard granite rock. ^{[21] [22] [23]} Blasts were carried out daily from 6 am to 7 am from March 2011 to early 2013 (regulations restricted blasting work from being carried out at other times of the day). Preparation for a single blast took approximately 3.5 hours, with the actual duration of a blast being 5 seconds. Approximately, 20,250 truckloads of debris was excavated during construction. Kolar-based National Institute of Rock Mechanics served as consultant for blasting work. There were no injuries during the entire blasting process. ^[23] A total of 2500 trees were cut down during the construction of both lines of Phase I. ^{[24] [25]}

Reach 1 was originally scheduled to begin operations in March 2010. After missing several deadlines, it was finally opened to the public on 20 October 2011 at 4 pm IST by Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath. ^[26] There was an overwhelming response to the metro at the commencement of operations. As per BMRCL sources within first three days of operations, 169,019 people used the mass transit system. ^[27] At the end of the 4th day, about 200,000 passengers had already commuted on Namma Metro. Namma Metro's first 12-day cumulative revenue was ₹10 million (US$130,000). ^[28] During the first month, about 1,325,000 people traveled by metro. ^[29] On average, 41,390 people took the train every day, while the average daily revenue was ₹667,262. BMRC earned a revenue of ₹21 million (US$260,000) in its first month of operation. ^[30] However, average ridership during the first six months of operation was just 24,900 after the initial euphoria. BMRC earned a total of ₹66 million (US$830,000) during the same period. ^[31] Namma Metro posted a profit of ₹4.1 million (US$51,000) after almost one year of operating Reach I. BMRCL estimates that nearly 8 million passengers traveled on the system during its first year of operations. ^[32]

Reach 2 received clearance to start services (from Satish Kumar Mittal, Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety - CMRS) on 21 September 2015. ^[33] Reach 2 was opened to the public on 16 November 2015. ^{[34] [35]}

BMRCL applied for safety clearance to open the underground stretch in the third week of March 2016. ^[36] The Commissioner for Railway Safety (CRS) granted clearance to begin operations on the underground section in the first week of April 2016. The underground section was inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries at a ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha on 29 April 2016. The inaugural train through the underground section departed from Vidhana Soudha station at 6:35 pm. ^[37] Namma metro was first driven through the underground section by Loco-pilot Pavithran. ^[38] The section was opened to the public from 6 am on 30 April 2016. ^{[39] [40]} Trains ran until 10 pm on the opening day, making 115 trips and transporting about 93,500 passengers, earning BMRCL a revenue of ₹35 lakh (US$44,000). ^{[41] [42]} The following day, 120 trips were operated on the Purple line, transporting about 125,000 passengers. On the first two days of operation, after opening of the underground section, BMRCL collected over ₹7 million in revenues from the Purple Line. ^{[43] [44]}

Phase II

In October 2016, the BMRCL began civil work on the west extension of the Purple Line from Mysore Road to Kengeri (8.81 km), later extended to Challaghatta. ^[45] Construction work on the Purple Line corridor was awarded in two packages for ₹ 660 crore. ^[46] IL&FS Engineering Construction Company bagged the contract for Reach 2A of 3.94 km (Mysore Road to Pattanagere stretch) that includes four stations at ₹ 327 crore. Soma Enterprise won the contract for Reach 2B of 4.86 km (Pattanagere to Kengeri stretch, later extended to Challaghatta), including two stations and a depot at Challaghatta at ₹ 332 crore. The land needed for the depot at Challaghatta (which is about 1.5 km away from Kengeri station) was already with BMRCL. ^[45] Later, the line extension included a new station at Challaghatta, close to the depot. ^[47]

BMRCL floated tenders for the construction of the 15.5-km elevated stretch from Baiyyappanahalli to Whitefield railway station in December 2016. The tenders for Reach 1A and Reach 1B were floated by BMRC on 1 and 6 December respectively. ^[48] Reach 1A is an 8.03 km section from Baiyyappanahalli to Sitharama Palya (previously Visveshvaraya Ind. Area). The section includes six new stations and is estimated to cost ₹ 670.72 crore. Reach 1B, the 7.21 km section from Kundalahalli to Whitefield, includes seven new stations and is estimated to cost ₹ 666.12 crore. Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) was awarded the contracts for both packages, for a sum of ₹1,300 crore (US$160 million), in May 2017. ^[49]

Around 270 buildings were demolished for the construction of Reach 1A and 1B. BMRC spent an estimated ₹ 849 crore to acquire properties. Demolition work began in March 2017. ^{[8] [50]} Construction work began in February 2018. ^[51]

The extension from Mysore Road to Kengeri in the southwest opened on 30 August 2021 ^[52] and the extension from Krishnarajapuram to Whitefield(Kadugodi) in the east side opened on 26 March 2023. ^[53]

Later, Trial Runs began from Baiyappanahalli to Krishnarajapura with one station Benniganahalli in between on 26 July 2023 and from Kengeri to Challaghatta on 29 July 2023. On 9 October 2023, Both the sections were thrown open to the public.

Phase III

The Government of Karnataka planned to extend the purple metro till Malur town in Kolar district Eastwards and Bidadi in Ramanagara district Westwards respectively in Phase 3.

Stations

There are currently 37 stations on the Purple Line. All underground stations were built using the cut-and-cover method. Most underground stations are 300 metres long and 25 metres wide. The interchange station at Majestic is much larger. ^[21]

Initially, there were no toilets at Namma Metro stations. BMRCL eventually heeded to public demands for toilets and the metro's first toilets were opened at Baiyyappanahalli and Indiranagar stations on 21 June 2013. ^[54]

In September 2015, it was announced that the proposed Narayanapura metro station would be removed and the proposed Krishnarajapuram metro station would be shifted by 295 metres to the west, due to difficulty in acquiring land in the area. ^[55] In April 2016, BMRCL revealed that Whitefield metro station, originally proposed to be located 200 metres away from Whitefield railway station, would be shifted so as to be directly opposite the railway station to provide easier connectivity between the metro station and railway station. ^[13]

Yellow tactile tiles are used at all stations to guide the visually impaired. The tiles start at the ramp and lead to the staircases and lifts. ^[56]

Purple Line
#	Station Name		Opening	Connections /Transits /Terminals	Layout
	English	Kannada
1	Whitefield (Kadugodi)	ವೈಟ್‌ಫೀಲ್ಡ್ (ಕಾಡುಗೋಡಿ)	26 March 2023 [57]	Whitefield Kadugodi TTMC	Elevated
2	Hopefarm Channasandra	ಹೋಪ್ ಫಾರ್ಮ್ ಚನ್ನಸಂದ್ರ	26 March 2023		Elevated
3	Kadugodi Tree Park	ಕಾಡುಗೋಡಿ ಟ್ರೀ ಪಾರ್ಕ್	26 March 2023		Elevated
4	Pattandur Agrahara	ಪಟ್ಟಂದೂರು ಅಗ್ರಹಾರ	26 March 2023		Elevated
5	Sri Sathya Sai Hospital	ಶ್ರೀ ಸತ್ಯ ಸಾಯಿ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆ	26 March 2023		Elevated
6	Nallurhalli	ನಲ್ಲೂರುಹಳ್ಳಿ	26 March 2023	Whitefield TTMC	Elevated
7	Kundalahalli	ಕುಂದಲಹಳ್ಳಿ	26 March 2023		Elevated
8	Seetharampalya	ಸೀತಾರಾಮ ಪಾಳ್ಯ	26 March 2023		Elevated
9	Hoodi	ಹೂಡಿ	26 March 2023	Hoodi Halt	Elevated
10	Garudacharpalya	ಗರುಡಾಚಾರ್‍‍ಪಾಳ್ಯ	26 March 2023		Elevated
11	Singayyanapalya	ಸಿಂಗಯ್ಯನಪಾಳ್ಯ	26 March 2023		Elevated
12	Krishnarajapura (K.R.Pura)	ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾಜಪುರ (ಕೆ.ಆರ್.ಪುರ)	26 March 2023	Blue Line (UC, Ph-2A) Krishnarajapuram	Elevated
13	Benniganahalli	ಬೆನ್ನಿಗಾನಹಳ್ಳಿ	9 October 2023 [58]	Benniganahalli (Planned Suburban Rail Station)	Elevated
14	Baiyappanahalli	ಬೈಯ್ಯಪ್ಪನಹಳ್ಳಿ	20 October 2011	Baiyyappanahalli	At Grade
15	Swami Vivekananda Road	ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿವೇಕಾನಂದ ರಸ್ತೆ	20 October 2011		Elevated
16	Indiranagar	ಇಂದಿರಾನಗರ	20 October 2011		Elevated
17	Halasuru	ಹಲಸೂರು	20 October 2011		Elevated
18	Trinity	ಟ್ರಿನಿಟಿ	20 October 2011		Elevated
19	Mahatma Gandhi Road	ಮಹಾತ್ಮಾ ಗಾಂಧಿ ರಸ್ತೆ	20 October 2011	Pink Line (Under Construction)	Elevated
20	Cubbon Park	ಕಬ್ಬನ್ ಪಾರ್ಕ್	30 April 2016		Underground
21	Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Station, Vidhana Soudha	ಡಾ. ಬಿ ಆರ್ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ, ವಿಧಾನ ಸೌಧ	30 April 2016		Underground
22	Sir M. Visvesvaraya Station, Central College	ಸರ್ ಎಂ. ವಿಶ್ವೇಶ್ವರಯ್ಯ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ, ಸೆಂಟ್ರಲ್ ಕಾಲೇಜು	30 April 2016		Underground
23	Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station, Majestic	ನಾಡಪ್ರಭು ಕೆಂಪೇಗೌಡ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ, ಮೆಜೆಸ್ಟಿಕ್	30 April 2016	Green Line KSR Bengaluru City Jn Kempegowda Bus Station	Underground
24	Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station	ಕ್ರಾಂತಿವೀರ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ರೈಲು ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ	30 April 2016	KSR Bengaluru City Jn	Underground
25	Magadi Road	ಮಾಗಡಿ ರಸ್ತೆ	16 November 2015		Elevated
26	Sri Balagangadharanatha Swamiji Station, Hosahalli	ಶ್ರೀ ಬಾಲಗಂಗಾಧರನಾಥ ಸ್ವಾಮೀಜಿ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ, ಹೊಸಹಳ್ಳಿ	16 November 2015	Orange Line (Planned, Phase lll)	Elevated
27	Vijayanagar	ವಿಜಯನಗರ	16 November 2015		Elevated
28	Attiguppe	ಅತ್ತಿಗುಪ್ಪೆ	16 November 2015	Vijayanagara TTMC	Elevated
29	Deepanjali Nagar	ದೀಪಾಂಜಲಿನಗರ	16 November 2015		Elevated
30	Mysuru Road	ಮೈಸೂರು ರಸ್ತೆ	16 November 2015	Orange Line (Planned, Phase lll)	Elevated
31	Pantharapalya - Nayandahalli	ಪಂತರಪಾಳ್ಯ - ನಾಯಂಡಹಳ್ಳಿ	30 August 2021		Elevated
32	Rajarajeshwari Nagar	ರಾಜರಾಜೇಶ್ವರಿ ನಗರ	30 August 2021		Elevated
33	Jnanabharathi	ಜ್ಞಾನಭಾರತಿ	30 August 2021	Jnanabharathi	Elevated
34	Pattanagere	ಪಟ್ಟಣಗರೆ	30 August 2021		Elevated
35	Kengeri Bus Terminal	ಕೆಂಗೇರಿ ಬಸ್ ಟರ್ಮಿನಲ್	30 August 2021	Kengeri TTMC	Elevated
36	Kengeri	ಕೆಂಗೇರಿ	30 August 2021	Kengeri	Elevated
37	Challaghatta	ಚಲ್ಲಘಟ್ಟ	9 October 2023 [59]		Elevated

Infrastructure

Rolling stock

BMRC procured 150 metro coaches for fifty 3-car train sets in DMC-TC-DMC formation for Phase l of Namma Metro from BEML - Hyundai Rotem at a cost of ₹1,672.50 crore (₹16.72 billion). ^[60] Coach specifications were as follows: Dimensions: Length-20.8m, Width-2.88m, and Height-3.8m. Each coach has a seating capacity of about 50 and standing capacity of 306 (basis 8 per sqm). Thus, each train had a capacity of about 1000. ^[61] Traction was through four 180 kW motors in each motor coach. The trains have a maximum speed of 80 km/h and axle load of 15 tonnes. The trains operate on 750V DC with third rail bottom power collector system. Features include stainless steel body fully air-conditioned coaches, longitudinal bank of wide seats, wide vestibules between coaches, non-skid and non-slip floor surfaces, wi-fi enabled, four wide passenger access doors on each side, wide windows, automatic voice announcement system and electronic information and destination display system.

Initial operations on the Purple Line began with twenty-one 3-coach trains. As loads increased with increasing ridership, all trains were converted to six coaches. ^[62] The first six car train was introduced on the Purple Line on 23 June 2018. ^[63] The additional coaches were supplied by BEML at a cost of Rs 8.8 crore each. ^[64]

Traction

Purple Line uses 750 V DC third rail traction.

Signaling

In September 2009, the consortium led by Alstom Project India Limited were awarded a contract worth ₹563.4 crore (US$70.6 million) to supply control and signalling system for the first phase of the project. The consortium is led by Alstom and composed of Alstom Transport SA, Thales Group Portugal S A and Sumitomo Corporation. Alstom will provide the design, manufacture, supply, installing, testing and commissioning of the train control and signalling system and Thales will provide the design, installing, testing and commissioning of the telecommunication system for Phase I of the metro system. It includes the Urbalis 200 Automatic Train Control system which will ensure optimal safety, flexible operations and heightened passenger comfort. ^{[65] [66]}

The integrated control centre at Baiyyappanahalli has direct communication with trains and stations are CCTV fitted with visual and audio service information. ^[67]

Operations

Frequency

The metro service runs from 5 am and 12 am daily. The end-to-end travel time on a Purple Line train is 82 minutes. ^[68] From 7 November 2016, Purple Line trains began running at an interval of every 4 minutes between 9:10 am and 9:58 am to handle rising passenger traffic during morning peak hour. ^[69] This timing was later withdrawn as the trains were not operating at optimal capacity. From 27 February 2017, the BMRC introduced a new time-table for weekdays. Headway on the line was changed as follows: 4 minutes (08:30-09:10), 7 minutes (07:00-08:30 and 09:10-10:40), 8 minutes (16:00-20:40) and 15 minutes at all other times. ^[70]

Metro services have occasionally operated beyond 22:00 hours. Services are usually extended on festival days or when an international cricket match is held in Bangalore. ^{[71] [72]}

Speed

The system is designed for a maximum train speed of 80 km/h. However, the Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) fixed the speed at which trains are allowed to commercially operate at 67.50 km/h on straight sections, 35 km/h on curves, and 45 km/h in stations. ^[73] The maximum permitted speed on the underground section is 40 km/h. Purple Line trains usually operate at speeds of 38–40 km/h. According to metro authorities, the trains require more than 400 metres to accelerate from, or decelerate to a halt. As the inter-station distance on the line is about 1 km, the trains have limited time to run at higher speeds. ^[74]

Fare collection

End-to-end fare on the Purple Line is ₹60 (75¢ US). Commuters who pay using smartcards receive a 5% discount per transaction.

As of April 2016, 37.59% of commuters on the Purple Line use smart cards, while the rest purchase tokens. ^[75]

Safety

All stations on the line have 4 emergency exits, and Majestic station has 18 emergency exits. Stations have been built to withstand zone III earthquakes. Bangalore is located in a zone II earthquake area. The tunnels are equipped with walkways to enable passengers to disembark from a train and walk to the nearest station in case of a technical failure. The underground section is also equipped with 5 cross-passages that will enable passengers to move between tunnels, in case a tunnel section fills up with smoke. There are three tunnel cross-passages between Majestic and Sir M Visvesvaraya metro station, and one each between Vidhana Soudha and Central College, and Majestic and City Railway station. All stations were built with flame retardant materials, and also have 100,000 litres of water stored on-site for use in case of a fire. ^[76]

See also

• Namma Metro
  • Green Line
  • Yellow Line
  • Pink Line
  • Blue Line
  • Orange Line
  • Red Line
• List of Namma Metro Stations
• Rapid transit in India
• List of metro systems

Notes

References

External links

• Official site

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